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SALT LAKE CITY — Snowy conditions caused multiple slide-offs up Big Cottonwood Canyon and closed both directions of state Route 190 for awhile on Thursday, according to Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler.
A slide-off crash was reported up the canyon along with another crash further down. While an officer responded to that crash, someone hit the patrol car, though the officer was uninjured in the incident.
Both uphill and downhill traffic is now permitted after uphill traffic was closed for about an hour around 6:30 p.m.
Traction laws are in effect for both Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons.
The northern Utah snowstorm could bring up to 10 inches in the mountains and 4 inches in the valleys on Thursday, according to KSL Meteorologist Grant Weyman.
The snow will likely start accumulating in the Salt Lake Valley and north of the area later Thursday afternoon, making slippery road conditions possible for the evening commute, according to the National Weather Service's Salt Lake City office. Weyman said some areas would start seeing snow by 4 p.m., but by 7 p.m. it would be falling heavily.
Two winter weather advisories were issued Thursday morning for much of northern Utah as well. As of 8 a.m., a winter weather advisory was in effect for the Wasatch Mountains and included Brighton, Alta and Mirror Lake Highway.
❄️Here is a timeline of possible travel impacts and potential snow totals for a winter storm that will move through the area tomorrow #utwxpic.twitter.com/jrOny6HfOr
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) December 16, 2020
An avalanche watch was also issued Thursday morning by Utah Avalanche Center for backcountry areas in the Wasatch Mountains, western Uinta Mountains, Bear River Range, and the Manti-Skyline Plateau. The watch will remain in effect until Friday morning and does not include ski areas where preventative measures are taken.
A separate advisory issued for the Salt Lake and Tooele Valleys as well as Logan, Smithfield, Brigham City, Ogden and Bountiful went into effect at 11 a.m. Both advisories end Friday at 3 a.m.
The National Weather Service predicted Salt Lake could see 2-4 inches, Logan could get up to 4 inches, and Provo, Park City and Heber could see 3-6 inches.
On Thursday morning, I-84 between Snowville and Tremonton appeared to be snow-covered, according to Utah Department of Transportation cameras, with parts of I-15 covered near the Utah/Idaho border, as well.
Timeline for the storm:
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) December 17, 2020
-Rain/snow or snow showers will continue to fill in across northern/central Utah
-Heavier snow expected during the evening commute from Salt Lake County north
-Snow will gradually end across the valleys this evening into tonight #utwx
Down in lower-elevation areas, Thursday morning brought a combination of rain and snow initially before turning to snow in the afternoon and evening, Weyman said.
Higher-elevation areas saw snow sooner Thursday with more accumulation expected on the benches. Snow showers will fade out by Friday and the weekend will bring cold weather but likely no more snow, Weyman said.
