What's with January weather in years ending with 3?
The dry streets and balmy weather enjoyed by Salt Lake residents for most of this month are a negative image of the record-breaking blizzards of exactly one decade ago. But they are similar to conditions five decades in the past.
Despite some storminess at the end of January, the month's overall precipitation is so scanty that water shortages are likely later in the year. Although some rain fell in the city, only a trace of snow was recorded — a low-snow record.
Mark Eubank, chief meteorologist for KSL, noted that in the past, high pressure patterns have settled over the West for a week or two. But for the high to stay in place for so many weeks as has happened for much of January is "really remarkable."
It's as if a traffic jam in the upper atmosphere had locked weather patterns in place, with snow in the East while for most of the month "all we get is a dry spell."
Compare that with the same month in 1993, the snowiest January in Utah's capital.
Only twice since weather records started in 1928 did the January snowfall top 40 inches. That was 1993, when the total was 50.3 inches, and 1996, with 45 inches measured at the airport.
From Jan. 7 through Jan. 10, 1993, "Salt Lake City Airport received 23.3 inches, which was the largest single snowstorm in Salt Lake City's history," said Grant Weyman, meteorologist at KSL.
Until now, the least-snowy January in Salt Lake City was 1961, with just 0.1 of an inch. This year, no measurable snow was recorded with only a "trace" noted for the month. However, that gives a partial picture. A good rainstorm hit toward the end of the month, so precipitation wasn't nearly as sparse as in 1961.
As warm as it was, January 2003 also won't go into the books for the mildest weather. That record is claimed by the January exactly 50 years ago. "January of '53 was the mildest January on record, and that record will stand," said Weyman.
"There were many days in the mid- to upper 50s and even some days in the low 60s in January, so that made it pretty mild" half a century ago.
For most of this January, a few minor rain sprinkles served more to make streets glisten than to fill reservoirs. Then as the month was winding down, a soaking storm dropped more than half an inch of rain.
But the storm wasn't enough to increase the nearby mountain snowpack by much. And without snow, drought relief remains out of sight. Unless precipitation patterns turns around soon, Utah could find its reservoirs dangerously low.
The turn-around of a drought added to the drama of the January 1993 blizzards.
According to Donald Jensen, state climatologist and a Utah State University professor, the winter of 1992-93 started with a bang, "right out of a drought." Snowfall brought precipitation up to normal.
"By the following October, the moisture's shut off and we go right back into a drought," he said.
A decade ago the winter was unusual, agreed Randy Julander, snow survey supervisor for the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service in Salt Lake City.
As 1993 began, the statewide snowpack was normal. Then "January and February were just barn-burners for snowpack accumulation, especially in southern Utah," he said.
By the last measurement, April 1, the state's snow accumulation was 129 percent of normal. Much of the increase was in the south. The Sevier River drainage started 1993 at 111 percent of normal and wound up the snow season at 150 percent.
The Provo River drainage, where Salt Lake City obtains much of its water, began 1993 with 108 percent and ended up with 116 percent.
Despite the one storm, the snowpack is far worse this year.
"Statewide, we started off (2003) in the mid-70s," Julander said. From about 75 percent of the normal snowpack, "it's just gone downhill.
"January has been a huge loss."
The statewide average now ranges from percentages in the middle 50s to the middle 60s. Parleys Summit, at the top of Parleys Canyon, has only 47 percent of the usual snowpack for this time of year.
The service's measurement site at Brighton tallies 49 percent of average. Millcreek records the same proportion. Snowbird Resort snowpack is only 54 percent of average.
Trial Lake, at 9,960 feet elevation, is part of an important watershed for Salt Lake City. But its snowpack is only 48 percent of normal for this time of year, Julander said.
"Unbelievably pathetic."
KSL-TV: Looking back at a blizzard
See video from the storms of 1993
Tonight at 5 p.m.
E-MAIL: bau@desnews.com