SALT LAKE CITY — On the very first day of winter, it's only appropriate that it will be very chilly in Utah on Wednesday as another storm moves into the area.
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Temperatures will quickly drop as the front arrives in the afternoon, with bitter cold conditions being felt tonight and overnight due to dangerous wind chill.
A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday for the mountains of northern Utah. Up to a foot of snow is forecast for higher elevations in the western Uinta Mountains and southwest Wyoming, and decent amounts for the Wasatch Mountains.
Some snow is expected in the valley floors, but mainly just traces of precipitation.
Because of the storm, Highway 89 has been closed between Rich County and Cache County at mileposts 487 and 489 near the Beaver Mountain Resort.
Winds from the north will also pick up throughout the day and into Thursday, leading to High Wind Warnings for areas in southeastern Utah. Gusts up to 97 miles per hour have been recorded near 11,000 feet in the central Wasatch Mountains.
A Wind Chill Warning is also in effect for a large portion of the state until 11 a.m. The National Weather Service warns of dangerous cold temperatures as the wind chill could reach as low as -35 degrees in the affected areas: Box Elder County, Bear Lake area, Wasatch Back, Uinta Mountains and Uinta Basin.
"Each of these impacts are hazardous on their own, but altogether make this a very dangerous winter storm," the National Weather Service tweeted.
Looking ahead, some snow is forecast for Friday before clearing out during the Christmas weekend.
