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Wax up those boards: Ski season starts Friday at Brighton and Solitude. And the weather has and will continue to cooperate — at least in the short-term.
For diehards who aren't afraid to hike, there was sliding to be had Monday at Alta, which had a 21-inch base with 7 new inches of extremely wet snow. The new snowfall contained 1.5 inches of water, according to the National Weather Service.
A wet low-pressure system arrived on schedule late Sunday and cold air behind it brought a dusting of snow to northern Utah valley floors Monday before melting. The weather service expects the storminess to continue into Tuesday morning before skies clear.
By 3:30 p.m. Monday, Salt Lake City International Airport had received .75 of an inch of water. "That's a wet day in Salt Lake City," said Randy Graham, National Weather Service meteorologist.
The rainstorms did not cause flooding to areas scarred by wildfires above Draper or Herriman, according to municipal officials.
St. George had received only .05 of an inch of rain by Monday afternoon. But the storm was sweeping south, and southern Utah was expected to get more precipitation, Graham said Monday afternoon.
By Tuesday morning, skies should clear and St. George should see high temperatures in the mid-50s.
Bench areas in Salt Lake and Davis counties were expected to get 2 inches of accumulated snow by Tuesday morning. The "lake effect" could enhance those totals in areas south and east of the Great Salt Lake.
Low temperatures Monday night and into Tuesday morning were predicted to be in the low 30s in northern Utah valleys. Highs were expected to reach 40 Tuesday.
Another cold storm system is poised to drive into Utah by Wednesday and could bring more precipitation statewide. But that system will track through central Utah and won't bring as much rain and snow to northern Utah as Monday's storm did, Graham said.
The combination three-day punch could bring another 18 inches of snow to ski resorts in Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, according to weather service forecasts.
By 2 p.m. Monday, Brighton and Snowbird were reporting 7 to 8 inches of new snow.
"We've got about 6 to 8 inches of new snow, depending on where you're standing," said Brighton's Jared Winkler. "We're ramping up the snowmaking. We'll be good to go by Friday."
It was dumping snow in Little Cottonwood Canyon, as well.
"It's been snowing heavily all day," said one Alta employee. "There's a ton of people here, trying to ski and snowboard."
Alta is scheduled to open for skiing Nov. 19. Snowbird has announced a Nov. 20 opener, and Park City Mountain Resort plans to open the same day.
Storm totals
A wet, wintry storm left significant moisture along the Wasatch Front. A weaker system is due Wednesday. Precipitation totals, in inches, as of 6 p.m. Monday:
Logan • .69
Ogden • .67
Bountiful bench • .1.3
Hill Air Force Base • .68
University of Utah • 1.3
Cottonwood Heights • 1.78
Pleasant Grove • .44
Spanish Fork • .60
Source • National Weather Service