If there’s one sure thing you can bet on this weekend — at least according to Utah meteorologists — it’s not the winner of the Super Bowl, but the weather that will come after it.
Experts with the National Weather Service here say they have “continually rising confidence” that a massive snowstorm will blow into the state about the same time the big game is wrapping up. And they’re gambling it will bring 5 or more inches to the valley floors across the state, making for a messy Monday morning commute.
The heavy winter flurry is expected to move in late Sunday night, bringing snow and much colder temperatures. “It will become stronger through Monday morning,” said NWS meteorologist Charlotte Dewey in a video advisory posted Saturday.
The forecast says it will affect driving along Interstate 15 from Utah’s northern border with Idaho down south through Cedar City — with more than half of the state covered under a winter storm warning.
Both mountain and valley roads will be slick and some cities, including Tooele, could see as many as 16 inches of snow. The Utah Department of Transportation has issued a “high caution” driving advisory for much of the state’s central corridor starting Sunday at 10 p.m. and carrying through midnight Tuesday.
The snow will be accompanied by wind gusts up to 55 mph in some places.
“Travel could be very difficult to impossible on all routes,” the weather service reports, cautioning drivers to stay off the roads, if possible, and to carry emergency supplies, if not. “Blowing snow will cause additional visibility reductions.”
The snowfall is expected to taper off by Monday evening, after leaving up to a foot in the Wasatch benches and 1 to 2 feet in the mountains. Salt Lake City is slated to see between 6 and 10 inches.
Most locations statewide, too, will see temperature drops of about 20 degrees. The forecast high for Monday along the Wasatch Front is 25 with an overnight low of 12; on Tuesday 22 and 14 are expected; Wednesday’s high remains below freezing at 30.
