The Weather

I once lived in the south where it was a common saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute." It was so true because you could start the day out with a beautiful clear sunrise, a warm perfect day. By noon it would be a blizzard with winds howling out of the north. I imagined that the snowflakes started falling in the state to the north and landed somewhere in the state to the south.

Utah has extremes as well, but the changes are not as dramatic as I experienced in the south. The wonderful part is that you never question what time of the year it is here. We're at the perfect latitude to experience every season. Although the elevation of Salt Lake City is approximately 4,300 feet above sea level, it creates an environment where we tend to be drier. That makes the summer heat that easily reaches 100 to be bearable with a humidity of around 40 percent. However, when the cold arctic airs moves in during the winter, the low humidity makes the cold bone chilling. Skin gets itchy, hair is charged with static, nose and throat will burn with each breath.

The photos following are only a small sampling of the wonderful variety of weather we experience here, which is one of the main reasons I love living here so much.

Winter is when we really have to bundle up. When a trough forms, we can end up with a storm every week that dumps between one to three feet of snow in the mountains.

This was our street last week the morning after a storm blew in during the night. The trees were simply incredible against the deep blue sky.


Things warmed up a little after the storm and the high pressure created an inversion, where cold air will settle into the valley. The humidity shot up and the result was dense fog. We could only see about 1/2 block. This is the street corner where we live, I could barely see the neighbor's house .


Spring is magical here because the days lengthen, the birds return, the air is fresh and clean. People are happy and excited to get outside after hibernating all winter long. This is Sugarhouse Park on such a magical day when it warmed up, the air was crystal clear, people came out, and it was a day we wished would never end.


We will get storms during the spring as well. We had a heavy rain/snow mix most of the day, then the sun peaked out from the west. The result was a highly illuminated foreground and the background was still covered. The "U"on the hill is home of the Utah Utes, who finished a perfect season of 13-0 and won the Sugarbowl against Alabama...GO UTES!!!


Summer is the time to play. We usually will go camping, attend outdoor concerts, hike in the mountains, discover new places we haven't been before. This is a walk way in the International Peace Gardens in Salt Lake City. The flowers are simply incredible.


We also get a fair amount of summer storms here. This storm was spectacular because it rolled in around sunset, which lit the clouds into a vibrant orange. Luckily, I happen to snap the picture right when a lightening bolt raced across the sky. The funny thing was that I thought that my camera had accidentally set the flash off...until I heard the thunder.


Fall colors are a treat. This is our favorite time to hike. The days are cooler and the colors are vivid. After a long hot summer, the fall is a welcome relief.


This is from a park that is just a few blocks from where we live. We love to walk around the duck pond, watch the little kids feed them, see owners play with their dogs, listen to the sound of happy kids at the playground.
Utah offers so much to celebrate when it comes to natural beauty and the seasons.