Mixed-Bag Storm

Sort of a "mixed-bag" storm last night and this morning with some good and bad news.

The good news is that we got the precipitation that the models were advertising to develop.  The bad news is it was even warmer than advertised a day or two ago, with relatively high snow levels, at least for the overnight and early morning precipitation period. 

Automated observations from Alta-Collins show 0.81" of precipitation, which would be in the upper end of forecasts from a couple of days ago.  The bad news is that temperatures at Alta–Collins during the precipitation period were 34˚F to start and are currently sitting at 32˚F, so this was gloppy, wet snow adding up to only 3 inches.  

It may have even started as mixed rain and snow at that elevation (9662 ft).  Above that elevation, there's probably a pasting of high density snow.  

Below that elevation, it was even warmer at the base of Alta, which as of 7 AM was 35˚F.  As of 7:45 AM, the Mt. Superior Cam looking over the Albion Base area shows just scant snowfall, consistent with it raining to start and then perhaps changing over to snow in the recent past.  

So, a net gain at upper elevations, but no gifts below about 9000 feet.  

Looking at the latest radar, there's another area of precipitation moving eastward across the Salt Lake Valley toward the central Wasatch as I write this.

That and possibly a few more showers later this morning may add a bit more to the totals.  Expect snow levels to be roughly where they are now, near the base of Alta, although they could lower a bit if the precipitation rates really tick up.