The highs and lows (when it comes to the weather) in 2024

The weather in 2024 in Utah has been something of a huckster, with the glitz and glamor of plentiful snow at the start of the year, a hot summer, dry fall and bleak prospects for snow this Christmas.

Shopping from a hawker comes with risks: you never know what you’ll get, how long it will last, and of course there’s no return policy, even if you feel cheated.

Here are a few insights into what Utah weather has in store for us in 2024:

1. Winter snow got off to a slow start in 2023, but picked up towards the end of the accumulation season

In March, most of the state had 156% of normal rainfall, bringing the seasonal average at the time to 117% – well above 100%. The reservoir’s storage capacity was at 78% of capacity, giving water managers a chance to take a deep breath and relax, if only for a moment.

2. Hot days and some good rain showers marked the beginning of summer

Julie Cunningham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, said the area saw 20 days of temperatures above 100 degrees. Normally it is only four days. At Salt Lake International Airport one day it was 106 degrees, a near record high of 107 degrees. “I would say we’ve seen a warmer than average year overall in 2024.” The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Pioneer Day, tracking temperatures that reached 103 degrees on the day Utah is celebrating its heritage in a big way.

3. Utah’s monsoon season was typical this year, although people who suffered its effects were not at all impressed with normal.

In one case, a city in Utah County saw nearly an inch of rain in just over 20 minutes, leading to some flooding. Of course, summer storms and the monsoon season bring the risk of lightning, which can cause fires. According to Utahfire, there were 1,259 fires that burned more than 200,000 acres. Of the fires that burned, 469 were labeled “natural” and were responsible for just over 27,000 hectares burning.

4. Cunningham said Utah experienced its warmest fall on record in many places, jumping 6 to 8 degrees above normal.

The dry fall has given the state’s water managers pause, but they can take some solace in reservoir storage. Many have above normal levels for this time of year. The statewide average is 75% full, slightly less than last year’s storage during the same time period. Reservoir storage remains well above the drought-induced lows of 2021-2022. “Reservoirs have been critical in protecting us from recent droughts,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources. “Promising storage levels now reflect favorable water years and ongoing conservation efforts, which are critical to ensuring water security amid climate uncertainties.”

5. If the snowfall so far could be compared to a car, it might be a Flintstone mobile.

The fallout has been in a series of shocks. He moves so far, then stops and Winter needs some kicking power to get over his hump. While there have been storms that dumped some snow on the mountains, only one of Utah’s basins has overshadowed 100% of its normal area: the Beaver area. The northeastern Uintas are trying to catch up at 90%. “We will be happy if we can see near-normal precipitation across the state,” Hasenyager said. “But we are slowly starting December.” Cunningham added that residents should resign themselves to a dry Christmas.