UTAH SLAMMED by SNOWSTORM — 18 Inches Of Snow And 80+ MPH GUSTS (Latest Updates)

Utah's first major mountain snowfall of the 2026 season brought far more snow than expected to parts of the Wasatch Mountains, as moisture left behind by former Hurricane Rachel collided with cold air from the Pacific Northwest. Snowfall totals surged in Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons, while ski areas farther north received only light accumulations. Snowbird recorded 18 inches on its snow stake by Wednesday morning, while Alta measured 16 inches. Brighton and Solitude also saw significant snowfall, but Park City received little more than a light coating. The uneven distribution has raised questions about how much early-season snow will survive warmer temperatures in the days ahead. The same storm system brought dangerous flooding to southern Utah, forcing the cancellation of the Moab 240 ultramarathon and leaving around 70 runners and volunteers temporarily stranded near Bridger Jack Mesa. Heavy rain, strong winds and freeze warnings added to the hazards across the state. In this video, we examine Utah's surprise mountain snowfall, the flooding that disrupted the Moab 240, the risks from freezing temperatures, and the next storm system that could bring another round of snow next week. Global Weather covers natural disasters and extreme weather events as they develop, using sourced reporting and avoiding unsupported speculation. CHAPTERS 0:20 — Utah's Surprise October Snowfall 1:14 — Snowbird and Alta Beat Forecasts 3:02 — Big Cottonwood Canyon's Snow Totals 3:54 — Park City Gets Barely a Dusting 4:45 — Southern Utah's Ski Season Outlook 5:38 — How Hurricane Rachel Fueled the Storm 6:32 — FLASH FLOODING — Moab 240 Runners Stranded 7:26 — The Rescue Operation Near Bridger Jack Mesa 8:20 — Race Cancelled as High Winds Threaten Utah 9:12 — Flooding, Burn Scars and Zion National Park 10:03 — Freeze Warnings Spread Across Utah 10:57 — Snow Risks on Mountain Roads 11:51 — Will the Snow Help Utah's Water Supply? 12:44 — Warm Weather Threatens Early Snow 13:38 — Another Storm Could Arrive Next Week SOURCES - National Weather Service - San Juan County Sheriff's Office - Moab 240 race organizers - Snowbird - Alta - Brighton Resort - Solitude Mountain Resort - Park City Mountain - Deer Valley Resort - Brian Head Resort - Utah Department of Transportation - Zion National Park #UtahSnow #UtahSnowstorm #UtahWeather #UtahSnowfall2026 #HurricaneRachel #CottonwoodCanyons #Snowbird #AltaSkiArea #Moab240 #UtahFlooding #FlashFlood #ZionNationalPark #WinterWeather #GlobalWeather