SALT LAKE CITY — The storms that have pounded Utah over the past week may have caused traffic headaches and avalanche dangers, but the silver lining is that they also provided a much needed boost to the state's vital snowpack numbers.
Just one week ago, Utah's snow water equivalent (SWE) sat well below the median, with just 4.8 inches of actual precipitation in the snow. Seven days and several storms later, that number has risen to 7.2 inches and the state has now inched over the median.
On the same date last year, during Utah's record breaking snow season, the SWE was already at 13.3 inches.
According to hydrologists, 20 inches of SWE is considered a good year, so after a sluggish (slushy?) start to the current season, Utah is sitting somewhat pretty with months to go until peak snowpack.
Despite last season's snowfall numbers, Utah's SWE still sat at 39 percent of normal back in November, but reservoirs were 20 percent higher than they were at the same time in 2022.
The 2022-23 winter season single-handily pulled Utah out of its dire drought status. Only nine percent of the state is currently in moderate drought status, which is the lowest drought measurement on the scale.
