Moab Snow Report 12-22-17

Moab & La Sal Mountain Snow & Winter Conditions Report 12-22-17

And just like that, winter is here.  Moab was covered in 8-12 inches of snow yesterday in a very localized storm that barely affected nearby areas.

Area Road Conditions

Geyser Pass Road was plowed to the winter use trailhead yesterday afternoon, but is still slick and icy.  Looking at the regional traffic cameras, we are the definite winner of the snowfall contest!  Most major highways in the region are cleared and slick in spots in the region, but many local roads are snow and ice covered.  The road into Arches National Park was still closed as of 10AM.  Check https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/conditions.htm to see current conditions.

Highway 491 Near the Colorado State Line

La Sal Mountain Conditions

Around 9 inches of snow fell at Geyser Pass yesterday putting an end to the anxiety that maybe Winter forgot us this year.  The good news is that the average snowpack this time of year is only 17 inches.  The bad news is that we are only at 17% of average for moisture.  Another storm or 2 that bullseye us would be enough to put us out of the range Armageddon and just into drought.  Since the 9″ fell onto mostly bare dirt, backcountry skiers are going to need to be patient for a while longer.  Nordic skiers, on the other hand, could probably slide around up there if they brought skis that they didn’t mind scratching up a little.  For the most up to date information, visit the Utah Avalanche Center’s Moab Advisory Page

Weather

Moab is forecast to reaching into the 40s for the rest of the week and the weekend, but the massive amount of snow and resulting cooling effect due to solar radiation being reflected away might keep it colder than expected.  No precipitation is forecast through next week, but storms that will be affecting Colorado on Christmas Eve might still give us a small bit of a dusting.