The pattern over the last couple of weeks has been a really great one for late February and early March with lots of cold storms and high-quality snow. Many mid-elevation areas have a remarkably deep snowpack right now and outstanding ski conditions. Sure the snowpack is deepest in Little Cottonwood, but I had a meeting in Park City yesterday and was blown away by the amount of snow in town. I had time for a few laps at Deer Valley and couldn't help but take a photo of the towering snowbank at the top of Sultan. This is an area that is heavily windloaded, but still, very impressive.
The view eastward showed a frozen Jordanelle Reservoir and nothing but snow-covered landscape. Even the south aspects and under-development Mayflower resort have snow. What a season!
Ski conditions were outstanding with a few inches of cold powder. It felt like January, but with an epic late season base.
Change is coming though as we will transition to a warmer pattern later this week. For tomorrow, however, there is one last cold-powder refresh coming, with a weak trough moving through later today and tonight. By 1500 UTC (8 AM MST) tomorrow, the 6Z HRRR is putting out about 7" for Alta, just over 5" for Canyons-Daybreak, and about 4" for Deer Valley-Ontario.
The GFS is also right around 7" for Alta. I'll call it a 6-12" refresh for Alta and hope we come in on the top of that range. Additionally, snow-to-liqiud ratios for this one will continue to be higher than average.
After that dump, change is coming. Temperatures will climb during the day on Thursday. The next storm, slated for the Friday and Friday night, will be warmer and windier. There will be snow, and it could ski quite well, but it will be a change from the cold events we've had of late. Overall, the pattern will remain active, but shifted toward warm and windy events. Nothing to complain about, but January in March is over after Thursday.
NWS issued what appears to effectively be a snow squall watch for northern Utah this afternoon...consider me excited
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