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Winter storm brings avalanches, snow; increase in highway crashes

Posted at 3:55 PM, Dec 22, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-23 01:22:02-05

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Highway Patrol has responded to several crashes throughout the Wasatch Front as a series of storms continues to sweep through the state.

As of Tuesday afternoon, UHP reported the following crash totals:

Weber County: 40 crashes

Davis County: 16 crashes

Salt Lake County: 16 crashes

Utah County: six crashes

Weather is impacting the following roads:

Salt Lake County

Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons require chains or 4×4 drive for all vehicles.

Carbon County

US-191 through Indian Canyon chains or 4 wheel drive are required for all vehicles.

WYOMING

Wyoming Department Of Transportation has reported a limited availability of chains at stores along I-80 in the event restrictions are put in place.

A winter storm warning remains in effect until 5 p.m. Wednesday. Areas affected are the Wasatch and western Uinta mountains along with the Wasatch Plateau, Book Cliffs and central mountains.

The snow accumulations will be widespread with totals between 12 to 24 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Accumulation is expected to exceed three feet in the Wasatch Range.

According to NWS, periods of heavy snowfall will impact travel across higher terrain of northern and central Utah through Wednesday. Strong winds will create blowing and drifting snow, which can reduce visibility.

Over the past 36 hours, Snowbasin received 22 inches of snow, Liberty received 18 inches, the Bountiful Bench 10 inches and Ogden 3 inches.

At the Salt Lake International Airport, .45 inches of rain was recorded. No snow accumulations were recorded for the Salt Lake Valley.

View at all snow and precipitation totals recorded by the National Weather Service here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?wfo=slc&sid=SLC&pil=PNS

View ski resort totals here: https://www.skiutah.com/snowreport

Avalanche conditions are also high to extremely dangerous in the backcountry of the Wasatch Range.

All affected areas are the mountains of northern Utah, southeastern Idaho, the Beaver River Range, the Western Uintas and the Manti-Skyline Plateau.

More information about avalanche conditions can be found at utahavalanchecenter.org.

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