Utah Expecting Up To 12 Inches of Snow From Cold Spring Storm

Storm Chase Daily Forecast (May 17-20, 2025)

Saturday (May 17)
Skip it. Oregon resorts pick up just 1–3 inches of dense snow and winds ramp to 40mph through the Cascade gaps. Not worth burning the gas.

Sunday (May 18)
Central Wasatch, UT – Alta/Snowbird lead the charge. Totals: About 9–13 inches from Saturday night plus Sunday daytime, with moderate-density snow overnight (SLR 8) turning lighter Sunday (SLR 11). Quality: Starting a little creamy under southwest flow, trending toward surfy, almost blower turns by midday as temps fall into the teens at 10k ft. Runner-up: Solitude/Brighton see 6–9 inches of similar quality. Cold temps, easing winds, and fresh snow stacked right through the ski day make Sunday the clear snorkel-free but deep pick.

Monday (May 19)
Only another 1–2 inches drift into the Wasatch while winds shift northwest. That is a dust-on-crust refresh at best. Colorado stays showery with a trace to 3 inches of high-ratio fluff overnight, not enough to chase.

Tuesday (May 20)
Loveland and A-Basin may scrape together 2–3 inches of overnight fluff, but gusty winds and meager totals keep expectations low. If you can only chase one day, make it Sunday in the Cottonwoods. Everything else is leftovers.

Key Points

• Good: Cold frontal passage drops snow levels to 7,000 ft. in Utah, delivering dry flakes by Sunday; northwest flow Sunday night keeps surfaces cool.
• Bad: Strong southwest winds Saturday (gusts 45 mph) may close higher lifts and create wind-affected layers under Sunday’s snow; PNW storms are mostly rain below 5000 ft. with heavy, wet flakes up high.
• Wildcards: Model spread on late Sunday moisture for Utah could nudge totals higher if post-frontal showers linger; Colorado upslope Monday could locally spike totals south of I-70 if convection lines up.

Regional Details

Utah – Wasatch & Southern Mountains

A potent southwesterly fetch drags Pacific moisture into the state Saturday afternoon. Winds howl ahead of the cold front, but the main punch of snow hits between 10 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Snow levels crash from 9,000 ft. to near 7,000 ft. behind the front, so even mid-mountain terrain at Snowbird will be chalky by first chair.

Forecast discussions peg 5–10 inches for most ranges, with up to 15 inches in favored zones like the Tushars where northwest flow lingers through Monday morning. Temperatures tumble into the teens on Sunday, preserving snow quality. A secondary wave Sunday night re-fires light to moderate snow, but only another inch or two falls before ridging and a rapid warm-up arrive mid-week.

Colorado – Central & Northern Mountains

Friday and Saturday stay mostly dry except for a few convective spits above 10,000 ft. The pattern flips Sunday as a stout trough deepens, bringing gusts over 40 mph on ridgelines and scattered thunder-snow. Snow levels hover near 8,000 ft. initially, then slide with cooler air Monday. Upslope favors the southeast flanks of the Divide, yet guidance supports only 3–5 inch storm totals by Tuesday morning at best. High SLRs near 12 mean fluff, but wind crust and thin coverage will limit face-shot potential.

Pacific Northwest – Oregon Cascades

A weak system drizzles Friday night, then a more organized wave soaks the Cascades Saturday. Snow levels around 4,000 ft. spare the peaks, but warm air aloft keeps SLRs low (5–8). Timberline might net 4–6 inches between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, most of it past midnight under 30 mph ridge top gusts. Mt Bachelor sees half that. Expect grabby, moisture-laden snow with wind-rippled surfaces. A continuing parade of weak shortwaves early next week brings showers but no significant cold push.

Extended Outlook

Ridging builds over the West by mid-week, shutting down meaningful snow and spiking temps back above seasonal norms. The 6–10 day outlook keeps the West warm and dry, so Sunday’s Wasatch powder window may be the final deep day of the spring.