Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald
Cars drive down E. Mill Road in the Vineyard during a snowstorm on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
The biggest snow on earth is getting better and better.
Utah’s snowfall broke records this week, surpassing the statewide snowfall on Wednesday and Thursday. Snow experts expect the trend to continue for the rest of his March.
Salt Lake City’s National Weather Service announced mid-week that the snow equivalent, or amount of water contained in the snowpack, surpassed the previous record of 23.1 inches on March 15. date. Park City Mountain on Thursday reported he had 12 inches of snow overnight.
Snow cover also surpassed the previous high snow water equivalent set on March 16th. The statewide average was about 24 inches Thursday afternoon, according to Utah Snow Survey Supervisor Jordan Clayton. The previous snow water equivalent record was about 23.5 inches. Statewide values are determined using average data from 114 locations in Utah.
“There are sites with much higher totals than that, and of course many sites with lower totals,” he said. “For comparison, our ‘normal’ peak SWE he is 14.3 inches. we are way above that. ”
Clayton had expected snow cover to surpass all-time highs through the end of the month. It may then be later than other notable years, such as 1982, 1983, 1984 and 2011, which had high peak snow cover due to late-season snow. This winter outperformed his 1997 and 2005 seasons, which were also characteristic snow years.
But for March, these are the new highs, according to Clayton.
If more storms hit this spring, the 2022-2023 season could still break the peak snowfall record. The all-time record for any date is 26 inches.
Salt Lake City’s National Weather Service said the next storm, possibly related to atmospheric rivers, could arrive as early as Monday.
“Some guidance suggests another baseline snow event may occur on the mountain.” organization tweeted.
Snow experts have determined that this winter will be the best in 20 years, with record-breaking conditions guaranteeing above-average snowfalls in the state until April’s peak.
Winter conditions have helped improve drought conditions across Utah, but water management officials say the state is still unclear. are believed to be suffering from severe drought. Last year, nearly 97% of her in the states were in this category.
Several factors, such as temperature and soil moisture, influence spring runoff, which in turn affects reservoir retention. Officials want good dissolution to ensure maximum results.
Clayton said more information will be available when the Water Supply Outlook report is released on April 1.
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