Alta, Utah – Drivers heading into the Wasatch Mountains before sunrise Wednesday could encounter snowfall rates topping 1 inch per hour, quickly covering I-80 near Parleys Summit and Big Cottonwood Canyon roads.
According to the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 11 a.m. Thursday for the Wasatch Mountains north and south of I-80, as well as the western Uinta Mountains. Snow totals will reach 6 to 12 inches, with up to 15 inches in the upper Cottonwoods and high Uintas. The Wasatch Plateau and Book Cliffs can expect 5 to 10 inches, while the Southern Mountains, including Brian Head and the Tushar Range, will see 6 to 12 inches with locally higher amounts before 5 a.m. Thursday.
The heaviest bursts are expected between 5 a.m. and noon Wednesday and again from 5 p.m. Wednesday through 3 a.m. Thursday. Mountain routes including Guardsman Pass, Mirror Lake Highway and canyon roads leading to Alta and Brighton will likely turn snow-packed and slick.
UDOT crews will treat and plow major corridors, but chain restrictions are possible during peak snowfall. Travelers should delay non-essential trips, check conditions at udottraffic.utah.gov and carry winter emergency supplies.
Snow gradually tapers Thursday morning, though icy patches may linger through midday. Additional advisories could be issued if snowfall rates exceed projections overnight.
