Advisory issued as Utah taps into atmospheric river moisture this weekend

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is about to tap into some of the moisture from a massive atmospheric river that has battered the Pacific Coast this week. But meteorologists say don't expect the record-type rain and snow totals to impact the West.

The National Weather Service issued a pair of winter weather advisories for the Wasatch and central mountains, where up to almost a foot of snow or more is possible this weekend. It's the first wave of a pair of storms forecast to pass through the state ahead of Thanksgiving.

"We're tapping into a ton of moisture. ... It won't be quite as intense as what they're seeing, but it's going to bring in a good round of snow for us," said KSL meteorologist Kristen Van Dyke.

Storm timing

A series of weather warnings and advisories remain in place for California for the next few days from the latest storm, where prolific rain and snow totals have already been recorded. The latest storm warning for the Sierra Mountains states that up to 3 feet of snow is possible between Friday and Saturday before another 1-3 feet possible between Sunday and Tuesday.

That first wave is forecast to lose steam as it moves east, but the first showers are expected to pass through northwest Utah Saturday afternoon before showers pick up across the state's northern and central regions Saturday night. Van Dyke said showers will start as a mix of valley rain and mountain snow, which will continue into Sunday morning before the valley rain turns into snow as a cold front passes through.

Most of the precipitation is expected to fall by the Wasatch regions, as well as most of central Utah. Some showers are possible in southern Utah, but those aren't expected to produce much. Stormy conditions could linger later on Sunday, but the system is expected to clear out by the end of the day.

Storm totals and a cooldown

Most parts of the Wasatch Mountains are expected to receive between 5 and 10 inches between Saturday and Sunday evenings, but as much as 15 inches is possible in the upper Cottonwood canyons, according to the National Weather Service's winter weather advisories. About 4 to 8 inches are forecast for the central mountains.

Van Dyke said bench communities could also receive decent snow accumulations, especially after the cold front arrives on Sunday.

"We could see some accumulating snow Sunday morning, anywhere from an inch to maybe 2 or 3 inches potentially," she said. "But down along the valley floor, (there will be) a slushy mix that wouldn't last long."

A KSL Weather model indicates the storm has the potential to deliver about 0.25 to 0.35 inches of precipitation along the Wasatch Front, while parts of central Utah could wind up with about 0.20 inches.

Temperatures will also come down with the storm. Salt Lake City, for instance, is forecast to reach 57 degrees on Saturday before the high temperature drops down to the low 40s on Sunday, remaining there through most of next week.

More to come

Additional precipitation is expected with the second wave, which is forecast to reach the full state more than the first storm. A mix of valley rain and mountain snow could arrive in southwest Utah by Monday evening before widespread storms impact the state on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Up to an inch of precipitation or more is possible by the Wasatch Front when adding the two storms together, which is both good and bad news.

It could affect Thanksgiving holiday travel projected to pick up on Tuesday. It also should help the state's dry conditions, as 97% of the state remains either "abnormally dry" or in drought this week.

Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online, at the KSL Weather Center.

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