The Utah Highway Patrol reported dozens of accidents on Thursday morning as a winter storm turned roads icy.
There were 53 “reportable accidents” — meaning they caused injury, damaged government property or did at least $1,500 in vehicle damage — by 10 a.m. Thursday morning, UHP reported on its Twitter feed. In Salt Lake and Utah counties alone, UHP said, there were 95 “reportable” or less-serious accidents and slide-offs.
Things were particularly difficult in Utah County, where a series of unrelated incidents left the state troopers struggling to keep up. “Troopers are doing their best to respond to crashes,” the UHP tweeted, adding “if you’ve crashed, it may be a while for us to get to you."
The National Weather Service issued winter weather advisories for northern and central Utah — between the Nevada state line and the Wasatch Mountains, from the Idaho border to Richfield — from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday.
In the Salt Lake and Tooele valleys, residents are told to expect snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches. In the Wasatch Mountains, and in Sanpete and Sevier counties, 2 to 4 inches are expected, with as much as 8 inches in the central and southwest mountains.
Light to moderate snow is expected in central and southern Utah starting Thursday afternoon, lingering into Friday morning in some areas.
Thursday’s snowfall follows the storm that came through northern Utah on Christmas night and Wednesday morning, creating a bit of a nightmare for those who had to brave the commute. According to police, there were multiple accidents up and down the Wasatch Front, including a semitrailer truck that rolled over near 13200 South on Interstate 15, snarling early morning traffic.
There’s a 75 to 80 percent chance of snow in Salt Lake City on Thursday morning, and temperatures will drop considerably from the 40s on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The forecast high for Thursday is 29 degrees, with lows in the teens on Thursday and Friday. Saturday is expected to have a low of 7 degrees.
Skies will be partly cloudy on Friday and Saturday, according to the weather service. There is a 25 percent chance of snow showers predicted for Sunday afternoon.
