Dirty Corn

Yesterday's cold-frontal passage probably brought more dust to the central Wasatch than snow.  Frontal passage at the University of Utah featured the usual wind shift and temperature drop, but also a spike in PM2.5 associated with blowing dust.

Peak concentrations at the U reached almost 15 ug/m3, which equates to a moderate air quality level.  

Cameras at the University of Utah caught the post-frontal dust and gravity-current-like nose of the cold front passing through the Salt Lake Valley.

Post-frontal dust and gravity-current-like nose of cold front that just passed through Salt Lake shows up well in this video.

Watch carefully for the moonset too. pic.twitter.com/qr27dhAiu8

— Jim Steenburgh (@ProfessorPowder) March 29, 2021

And check out the terrain induced flows over western Nevada with dust from the Carson Sink providing a great tracer. 

Large dust storm pushing south through the Nevada desert towards the California border. @NWSReno #NVwx pic.twitter.com/aYdhVMydMi

— US StormWatch (@GreatWinter2017) March 29, 2021

So this event provides a new definition of "dust on crust" and puts a nail in the coffin of winter.  We might get into a good spring storm cycle eventually, but temperatures look to be rising this week and spring fever will be infecting far more people than the coronavirus.  The best options for skiing will be working the aspects for "dirty corn."