SLC Weather (Salt Lake City, Park City: how much, construction, allergies)

[knrstz]

I read through 16 pages in the forum looking for a thread that discussed the weather/climate during the year. Can someone describe what each of the 4 seasons are like in SLC? Thanks.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by knrstz

I read through 16 pages in the forum looking for a thread that discussed the weather/climate during the year. Can someone describe what each of the 4 seasons are like in SLC? Thanks.

Sure! We have four distinct seasons. I guess the length of each one kind of seems to be in inverse proportion to how much you happen to like it. For that reason, winters here seem to drag on unbearably for me. Someone else might say the same about summers.

Spring usually gets a late start. I don't even expect spring weather until mid-April, and it generally lasts only about six weeks. By the first part of June, you can expect pretty summery weather, which lasts about three months, i.e. through August. The average daytime high in July (which is our hottest month) is 92 degrees, and the average nighttime low at that same time is 64 degrees. It's extremely dry here, though, so temperatures in the 90s don't seem as hot as temperatures in the 80s do in more humid areas. Fall is beautiful here. In my opinion, it lasts about as long as spring does, running for about six weeks from the beginning of September until mid-October, when the temperatures start to drop considerably. Since I hate winter so much, it seems to me like the longest season of all, going from about mid-October to mid-April. (We do have some nice days in late October and early April; they're both just unpredictable periods.) Average daytime highs in January (our coldest month) are 36 degrees. Average nighttime lows at that time are 18 degrees.

We get only about 16 inches of precipitation annually. That's not much. The city supposedly gets about 5 feet of snow each winter, but it's spread out over a six month period. The mountains just east of the city get 40 to 45 feet each winter. I have never actually lived anywhere except Salt Lake City, but I'm told our winters are actually mild in comparison to some places. (Those are places I would obviously not like.) April is our wettest month, followed closely by March and then May.

[MrAnderson]

Winter: 30s and snow
Spring: 50s and rain
Summer: 90s and sun
Fall: 60s and leaves

[berger123]

well it's snowing today on May 24th in the valley so that might tell you something right there. You never know what the weather will be like out here.

[Mauka]

Yea, we have snow up here in Park City. This has been the longest winter/spring evah!

[Inquisitve]

It's snowing today and its almost June, there does not seem to be 4 seasons here anymore, the winters drag on, then it goes direct into summer Hot ! We get a small fall and then Winter again. Salt Lake City has a serious pollution inversion problem, I have never had allergies before living here. You can see smog and the winter snow will clear it up for a while. If you live in the Valley the air is dirty. If you live in the Mountains its clear.

[MrAnderson]

Because of the high elevation, snow can happen during spring here and there, but generally melts or turns to rain within hours. But yeah, for real data just check out this: Salt Lake City - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Then scroll to climate.

[lisamikefoster]

There are 2 seasons...winter and road construction.

I grew up in Utah....left for a long time and we finally made our way back 2 years ago. The thing I missed most about Utah weather/seasons....Fall.

The falls are amazing here...living in Texas prior to coming back to Utah, I would almost ache to feel a Utah autumn.

[fittj]

Originally Posted by berger123

well it's snowing today on May 24th in the valley so that might tell you something right there. You never know what the weather will be like out here.

Not really, because that was a record for Utah. It was the latest day in the season where there was measurable snow in recorded history. I grew up in Utah and it never snowed in late May. I don't even remember it ever snowing in May at all.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

The first day I lived here, in June 2001, it was sleeting in the morning when I took out my garbage cans. The news reported snow at the airport. At least it didn't stick to the ground.