Utah Climate and When to Travel
What's the Weather Like and When to Go to Utah and Salt Lake City
What is the best season for traveling to Utah and Salt Lake City on vacation, for the winter skiing, to see the Great Salt Lake Desert or visit national parks like Arches
Utah is high and dry. That's the main thing about the Utah climate, but it is also a state of great contrasts. This is something to remember when planning a Utah vacation and trying to decide when is the best time to go. Utah includes arid desert like the Great Salt Lake Desert but there are also mountain areas which can receive 60 inches of rain a year and up to 500 inches of snow, which is perhaps too much for even the most avid ski enthusiast.
The driest parts of Utah are in the east, and also in the south where it borders with Arizona. In these areas there are less than 12 inches of rainfall per year. The Great Salt Lake Desert receives only about 5 inches of rainfall every year.
*
Utah Climate: Snowfall
The Great Salt Lake Desert is one of the few areas of Utah to be free of snow in winter. Snowfall is common everywhere except here and in the very south of the state close to the Arizona border. The state capital, Salt Lake City, receives an average of about 60 inches of snow each year, so if you're planning to drive there for a relaxing city break vacation, winter is not the best time to do it.
The Wasatch Mountains, which are regarded as the western limit of the Rocky Mountains and run down from the Idaho border through central Utah, will in places receive up to 500 inches of snow in the winter. In other places the snowfall is usually deep and reliable, which is why Utah is one of the prime winter ski destinations. There can still be some snow cover as late as July, in some areas. At higher elevations, the snow will generally arrive in October and stay until May, while lower down the winter snow season will be November-April.
*
Utah Climate: Winter Cold
If you hate being cold then Utah is not the winter vacation destination for you. Much of the state has below-freezing temperatures at some time during the winter months, and the average doesn't rise much above 50 degrees. Remember that even in the desert areas, the desert climate is such that although it can be hot during the day, it will drop to sub-zero temperatures at night.
*
Utah Climate: Summer Heat
See my article on temperature records in the southwest USA by clicking here.
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Utah had been 117 degrees at St George on July 5th, 1895. 1895 is the year temperature records began. That record Utah temperature stayed for over 100 years, till it was beaten in July 2007 when it hit 118 degrees, near St. George again. The answer seems to be that if you don't like it too hot, avoid St. George in July.
The average summer temperatures throughout Utah, though, are generally from about 85-100 degrees, depending on the elevation and the month. In most places July is hotter than August, and if you want to avoid the extreme heat, book your Utah vacation for May or September/October.
*
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
