Late-season storm could bring snow, freezing temperatures to Summit County

A light overnight dusting in Park City signaled another abrupt spring reset for Summit County, where a colder wave was expected to bring freezing temperatures, slick mountain roads and a fresh round of snow to higher elevations.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the Wasatch and Western Uinta mountains from early Thursday through Friday morning, with 6 to 12 inches forecast for the Wasatch Mountains and even higher totals possible in the upper Cottonwood canyons. High-elevation communities like Park City could pick up a few inches, while bench areas could see an inch or two, as the cold front pushed snow levels down to about 5,500 to 6,000 feet.

That setup mattered for more than ski terrain. A freeze after a warm stretch can turn early-morning drives icy, slow down school and work commutes, and complicate spring cleanup for gardeners and landscaping crews trying to get plants in the ground. It also creates another variable for outdoor events and tourism operators heading into the spring weekend, especially in places where shoulder-season business depends on clear roads and stable weather.

The National Weather Service said lake-effect showers were also possible east of the Great Salt Lake Friday morning, adding to the chance of scattered snow showers across northern Utah. In its April 10 outlook, the NWS Salt Lake City office said temperatures were still running above average areawide, though slight cooling and gusty winds were expected as the system approached. That made the latest burst of wintry weather feel more like a sharp interruption than a season-ending storm.

The week’s unsettled pattern followed an earlier storm on April 2 that finally broke Utah’s dry stretch. That system delivered more than an inch of rain in Lindon and Payson, more than a third of an inch across many other communities by Wednesday afternoon, and close to a foot of snow at Alta Ski Resort by 2 p.m., ending more than three weeks without snow there.

Drought remained part of the backdrop, too. The National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City drought information page pointed readers to an April 4 drought information statement, underscoring how quickly late-spring storms can add moisture while leaving bigger water-supply questions unresolved. For Summit County, the message was simple: spring had not settled in yet, and another round of snow was still in play.