Climate of Salt Lake City

Climate Of Salt Lake City

The climate of Salt Lake City is widely variable. The city lies in a semi-arid region in the Salt Lake Valley, surrounded by mountains and the Great Salt Lake, and receives little precipitation. Under the Köppen climate classification, Salt Lake City has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). The city has four distinct seasons, with a cold, snowy winter, a hot, dry summer, and comfortable, relatively wet transition periods. The Pacific Ocean is the primary influence on the weather, contributing storms from about October to May, with spring being the wettest season. Snow falls frequently during the winter, contributed largely by the lake-effect from the Great Salt Lake. The only source of precipitation in the summer is monsoon moisture moving north from the Gulf of California. Summers are hot, frequently reaching above 100°F (38°C), while winters are cold and snowy. However, winters are warmer than one would expect at this elevation and latitude, due to the Rocky Mountains to the east and north that usually block powerful polar highs from affecting the state during the winter. Temperatures rarely fall below 0°F (-18°C), but frequently stay below freezing. Temperature inversions during winter can lead to thick overnight fog and daytime haze in the valley as cool air, moisture, and pollutants are trapped in the valley by surrounding mountains.