Weather That has Occurred During the Olympic Period: 8-24 February
(compiled by J. Horel, CIRP, from Climate Summaries of W. Alder, SLC NWSFO)
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Extreme Weather for Select Sites:
(Table data in both English and Metric units)

Alta

Heber City

Pine View Dam

Salt Lake City

1984

  • 10-11. Major snow storm with strong winds lead to numerous traffic accidents.
  • 16-17. Another significant snow storm with 1-2+ feet of snow in the mountains.
  • 18,19,20. Local dense fog.

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    1985

  • 8. Very strong winds with blowing and drifting snow; many roads closed in Salt Lake Valley. Busses and cars stranded. Wind Gust at Park City to 105 mph.
  • 9. Snow and avalanches. Skiers knocked down at Alta and near Brighton.
  • 10. Dense fog in valleys.
  • 12. Very slick raods due to light snow fall.
  • 12-19. 8 consecutive days of dense fog with numerous auto accidents and 3 fatalities.
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    1986

  • 12-13. Very wet storm along Wasatch Front and Northern Mountains. 2-3 feet of snow at ski resorts. Many naturally released avalanches. 2 feet of snow at Parleys Summit with near blizzard conditions for a time over the higher passes.
  • 14 -17. Warm temperatures, warm heavy rains in the valleys and the lower slopes, and heavy snow at higher elevations led to avalanches and mudslides: a couple of homes were destroyed at Sundance ski area. Wind gust recorded at Park City of 120 mph. Ski area closures at Snowbasin and Sundance. Avalanches cut off access to Powder Mountain ski resort.
  • 18. Record high minimum temperature of 51 F for February at SLC airport.
  • 19. Squall line with 119 mph gust at Park City ski area. Morgan County declared a disaster area as a result of flooding.
  • 24. Avalanches closed Little Cottonwood Canyon in the afternoon.
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    1987

  • 13-14. Squall with hail, thunder/lightning and winds gusting to 70 mph. 2+ feet of snow in mountains.
  • 15. Backcountry skier killed in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
  • 20. Local canyon winds with gusts of 40-50 mph along the benches.
  • 23-24. Major winter storm with wind gusts of 40-50 mph. Snow drifts across roads and reduced visibilites.
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    1988

  • 13. Blustery cold front with near blizzard conditions during morning commute contributes to a 40-50 vehicle pile-up at Point of the Mountain. Wind gusts to 106 mph at Snowbird and 94 mph at Deer Valley.
  • 16. Another cold front with snow in the mountains and strong winds. 92mph gust at Snowbird.
  • Second driest February on record at SLC airport.
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    1989

  • 8. A record low of -7 F and a record low maximum of 20 F at SLC Airport.
  • 19-20. Major winter storm with 1-2 feet in the mountains and 2-4 inches on the valley floor. 50 mph winds at Soldier Summit.
  • Month as a whole very cold and wet with lots of snow.
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    1990

  • 12-14. Major winter storm with gusting winds and blowing snow.
  • 15. Very cold air across the state with -18 F at Solitude ski resort.
  • 16-19. Powerful winter storm with a 52 mph gust at SLC Airport. 2+ feet of snow in the Wasatch mountains.
  • 19. Canyon winds with 40-60 mph gusts along the East Benches.
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    1991

  • 8. Heavy fog causing planes to be diverted for a short time at SLC Airport.
  • 16-18. A major storm with 2-3 feet of snow. Glazed roadways on the 18th caused traffic accidents.
  • Month as a whole very dry with Wasatch Mountain precipitation roughly 60% of normal.
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    1992

  • 10-14. Heavy snow in the Wasatch, 2-3 feet.
  • 16-18. Major winter storm. 8-10 inches along the benches, 1-2 feet in the Wasatch.
  • 20-21. Severe weather and snow. Hail and lightning near Ogden.
  • 22. Another fast moving storm with a 1500 foot wide avalanche near Snowbasin ski area. Snow in Parleys Canyon brought traffic to a standstill.
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    1993

  • 8. Canyon winds with gusts to 50 mph at Hill AFB.
  • 9. Freezing rain near Ogden.
  • 16-17. Snow and high winds. Multi-car pileups during morning commute in Davis and Utah counties.
  • 18-21. Major winter storm with strong winds and near blizzard conditions. A driving nightmare; a 50 car pile-up near Point of the Mountain. Gusts to 80 mph at Snowbird Tram. 2-3 feet of snow at the ski resorts.
  • 20. Avalanche near Sundance ski area.
  • 22. Blizzard conditions with I-80 closed between Echo Junction and the Wyoming Border. 94 mph gust at Mt. Ogden, above Snowbasin ski resort.
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    1994

  • 6-8. Major storm, 2-3 feet of snow at ski resorts. Skier killed near Alta.
  • 10-11. Severe weather with lightning and squall line. Power out in Cache Valley. Park City schools closed. Avalanche near Solitude ski area. 2-3 feet of snow fell at ski resorts.
  • 17-19. Rain followed by snow in valleys with heavy snow in the mountains. Roads flooded in Cache Valley. Slick roads through passes and in the Park City area. 68 mph wind gust in Kearns.
  • 22. Snowstorm durring commute, over 100 accidents. Runways closed for periods of time at SLC Airport. High winds and drifting snow. 10 inches fell in the valleys with several feet in the mountains.
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    1995

  • 11-12. Winter storm in northern part of the state. One backcountry skier killed in Big Cottonwood Canyon. 2-3 feet of snow at ski resorts.
  • 13-14. Major winter storm. Thunderstorms during morning commute. Winds at ski resorts to 120 mph. Hundreds of auto accidents. 1-2 feet of snow at ski resorts.
  • 19-24. Warm spell with new daily high temperature records. 56 F at Park City on the 24th.
  • Warmest month on record at SLC Airport.
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    1996

  • 9. High pollution levels along Wastach Front.
  • 11. Record maximum temperatures in the Wasatch Mountains, Alta 57 F.
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    1997

  • 11. Front with 12-15 inches of snow in the Wasatch.
  • 17-18. Storm with 2-5 inches in the valleys and 12-16 inches in the mountains.
  • 23-24. Strong canyon winds with gusts to 81 mph (53 mph at UofU). Schools closed in Ogden due to power outages. Estimated $2 million damage.
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    1998

  • 6-10. Three storms moved through the area during the 5 day period. 1-2.5 feet of snow in the mountains with a few inches in the valleys.
  • 11. Another storm affected mainly northern Utah. 6-16 inches fell in the mountains and 2-5 inches fell in the valleys.
  • 14-16. A series of storms affected Utah; Central and Southern Utah recieved the brunt of the storm. Started as rain and then turned to snow in the northern valleys. 6-18 inches in the Wasatch Mountains and 6-10 inches along the benches.
  • 21-27. Major winter event affects Utah. The main weather maker was from the 23rd-25th. 20,000 people lost power in the Salt Lake Valley. 20-28 inches fell on the benches. SLC Airport set a record for most snow in a 24 hour period, from 8:17 AM on the 24th to 8:17 on the 25th 18.9 inches of snow fell. During the afternoon of the 26th an avalanche in Little Cottonwood Canyon knocked two cars off the road. During the 6 day period 3-7 feet of snow fell in the mountains, generally 1-4 feet fell in the valleys, the wide ranges are due to lake effect bands of snow, Bountiful picked up 51 inches of snow.
  • Wettest and snowiest February ever at SLC Airport, 4.89 inches and 32.1 inches fell respectively.
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    1999

  • 9-10. Record warmth on the 9th, 62 F at SLC Airport then a cold front moved through. Gusts of 60 mph in the valleys and 115 mph at Snowbasin accompanied the front. 3-10 inches fell in the valleys with 10-20 inches in the mountains.
  • 13. Record warmth in the mountains, Alta 55 F, Park City 53 F.
  • 16-17. Cold front moves through with gusts over 50 mph in the valleys along with graupel and thunder. Ski resorts receive 5-12 inches of snow.
  • 21-22. Cold front moves through with gusts as high as 85 mph at Snowbasin. 6-11 inches fell in the mountains with 1-5 inches in the valleys.
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    2000

  • 10-11. Storm system with mountain snow/valley rain. 6-15 inches of snow in the Central Wasatch east of SLC.
  • 12-13. Heavy mountain snow with 1.5 - 3 feet at ski resorts. High avalanche danger closes Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. An avalanche briefly dams the Provo River near Bridal Veil Falls.
  • 14. Another cold front moves through with high winds and 6-20 inches of mountain snow. Gusts near 50 mph in valleys and up to 96 mph in the mountains.
  • 23-25. More heavy snow with 13-44 inches in the mountains and 4-9 inches along the benches.
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    2001

  • 6-8. 4-6 inches of snow falls in the valleys from SLC northward. The Northern Wasatch Mountains near Ogden received 9-14 inches but the ski resorts near SLC only received 2-3 inches.
  • 8-9. Very cold morning lows. SLC airport 7 F on the 8th and 9th. Randolph recorded a low of -30.
  • 11. 10-16 inches of snow fall in the mountains while the valleys receive 2-6 inches.
  • 19-20. 10-15 inches of snow in the central and northern Wasatch.
  • 23-24. 3-13 inches of valley snow, the heaviest band occurred from Kearns northeast to Ogden. The Wasatch Mountains recieved 14-31 inches.
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    ALTA

    English Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow
    1 30.88 F 13.52 F 13.73 in 2.14 in 155.00 in 27.50 in
    Year 1954 1955 1980 1988 1950 1988
    2 30.88 F 15.11 F 13.46 in 2.52 in 148.00 in 31.00 in
    Year 1995 1985 1986 1991 1969 1963
    3 30.07 F 15.66 F 13.02 in 2.85 in 135.50 in 31.00 in
    Year 1991 1956 1960 1987 1998 1987



    Metric Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow
    1 -0.62 C -10.27 C 34.87 cm 5.44 cm 393.70 cm 69.85 cm
    Year 1954 1955 1980 1988 1960 1988
    2 -0.62 C -9.38 C 34.19 cm 6.40 cm 375.92 cm 78.74 cm
    Year 1995 1985 1986 1991 1969 1963
    3 -1.07 C -9.08 C 33.07 cm 7.24 cm 342.90 cm 85.09 cm
    Year 1991 1956 1960 1987 1998 1987

    HEBER CITY

    English Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow
    1 39.02 F 10.73 F 5.85 in 0.12 in 58.50 in 0.00 in
    Year 1934 1903 1899 1924 1899 1907
    2 36.86 F 13.86 F 5.51 in 0.25 in 48.50 in 0.00 in
    Year 2000 1933 1936 1964 1919 1922
    3 36.11 F 16.05 F 4.78 in 0.28 in 41.00 in 0.00 in
    Year 1995 1949 1986 1981 1897 1924



    Metric Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow
    1 3.90 C -11.82 C 14.86 cm 0.30 cm 148.59 cm 0.00 cm
    Year 1934 1903 1899 1924 1899 1907
    2 3.81 C -10.08 C 14.00 cm 0.64 cm 123.19 cm 0.00 cm
    Year 2000 1933 1936 1964 1919 1922
    3 2.28 C -8.86 C 12.14 cm 0.71 cm 104.14 cm 0.00 cm
    Year 1995 1949 1986 1981 1897 1924

    PINE VIEW DAM

    English Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow
    1 34.75 F 14.20 F 9.02 in 0.56 in 65.50 in 0.00 in
    Year 1963 1985 1986 1964 1960 1956
    2 32.14 F 14.33 F 6.21 in 0.70 in 52.00 in 0.00 in
    Year 1986 1964 1994 1988 1955 1963
    3 31.52 F 14.54 F 6.16 in 1.14 in 50.00 in 2.00 in
    Year 1992 1974 1958 1990 1979 1987



    Metric Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow
    1 1.53 C -9.89 C 22.91 cm 1.42 cm 166.37 cm 0.00 cm
    Year 1963 1985 1986 1964 1960 1956
    2 0.08 C -9.82 C 15.77 cm 1.78 cm 132.08 cm 0.00 cm
    Year 1986 1964 1994 1988 1955 1963
    3 -0.27 C -9.70 C 15.65 cm 2.90 cm 127.00 cm 2.00 cm
    Year 1992 1974 1958 1990 1979 1987

    SALT LAKE CITY

    English Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow Fastest Wind Speed
    1 42.32 F 22.75 F 4.89 in 0.13 in 32.10 in 0.00 in 61.70 kts NW
    Year 1995 1949 1998 1988 1998 1953 1954
    2 41.61 F 25.25 F 2.84 in 0.35 in 27.90 in 0.30 in
    Year 1958 1989 1969 1964 1969 1957
    3 41.34 F 25.25 F 2.32 in 0.35 in 27.50 in 0.40 in
    Year 1986 1985 1968 1990 1989 1988



    Metric Units

    February Extreme Weather

    		Warmest Coldest Wettest Driest Most Snow Least Snow Fastest Wind Speed
    1 5.73 C -5.14 C 12.421 cm 0.330 cm 81.53 cm 0.00 cm 25.03 m/s NW
    Year 1995 1949 1998 1988 1998 1953 1954
    2 5.34 C -3.75 C 7.214 cm 0.889 cm 70.87 cm 0.76 cm
    Year 1958 1989 1969 1964 1969 1957
    3 5.19 C -3.58 C 5.893 cm 0.889 cm 69.85 cm 1.02 cm
    Year 1986 1985 1968 1990 1989 1988

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