SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah's snowpack has received a welcomed boost over the past week, and some areas could receive moisture from at least one more storm before warmer and drier conditions return.
The latest storm was brewing off the Pacific Northwest coast on Tuesday, but it's forecast to make its way into northern Utah by late Wednesday before a stronger one pushes through the state later in the day and into Thursday, said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson.
Scattered showers are forecast throughout the first half of Thursday, but Johnson said those will begin to die down by the evening. He added that some lingering showers are possible afterward, especially in the eastern Utah mountaintops.
The National Weather Service notes that 4 to 10 inches of snow could fall across the Wasatch Mountains by early Friday, according to a projection model updated on Tuesday. The model added there's about a 26% probability that places like Alta will receive a foot of snow.
Johnson said bench areas could receive 1 to 3 inches of snow, while valley communities could end up with a trace of snow up to an inch or 2.
Any snow will eventually switch over to rain. KSL Weather models indicate the storm also has the potential to deliver as much as 0.25 to 0.60 inches across the Wasatch Front and northern Utah. Areas near Ogden have higher probabilities for the strongest precipitation, while areas across central and eastern Utah could receive up to about 0.15 inches.
While valley snow totals might be small, Johnson said it can still be impactful because it's projected to come down Thursday morning.
"If you put that down in the morning commute Thursday, we saw what can happen with that last Thursday," he said, pointing to crashes and slide-offs from another storm last week.
Utah Department of Transportation officials say "moderate" travel impacts are expected across most valley areas, especially during the Thursday morning commute. The agency also urges drivers to prepare for "high" caution while traveling through mountain passes like the Cottonwood Canyons, Sardine Canyon, and parts of the Wasatch Back.