Utah is experiencing one of the worst winters ever recorded. The state sits at only a third of the normal season. A report from the National Resources Conservation Service showed snowpack levels measured from all around Utah at lowest recorded since their measuring equipment was installed in 1980. Weather forecasts show February has an average high of 47 degrees, which is much higher than the usual 32 degrees from past years.

With snow at an all time low, the ski season has been one to remember. Conditions are rough, rocks everywhere, and the snow is very similar to what you would see skiing in springtime. Resorts like Snowbasin had to cancel ski school lessons for two weeks during December. 

“My snowboarding season hasn’t gone as good as I was hoping, especially for my senior year. The snow has been bad and it’s been icy with lots of rocks,” said senior Max Linford.

A bad ski season isn’t the biggest concern, however. Many communities around Utah depend heavily on springtime snowmelt for their water supplies. More than 95% of our water supply is tied to snowpack. Water is collected from mountain streams, is treated and disinfected, and is then sent to our homes.

The Great Salt Lake mostly gets water from mountain streams and snowmelt in the Wasatch Peaks area. With increased water diversion for agriculture and industry, paired with an all time low snowpack, the lake is facing new record low water levels. 

The lakebed is full of centuries worth of industrial pollution. Arsenic, mercury, and lead are toxic materials that can become airborne, causing respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, asthma, and lung inflammation. Experts speculate that over enough time, this could make the Salt Lake Valley “uninhabitable”.

Because of our extreme lack of snow, we’ve had a bad ski season, summer drought is evident, we are at risk of toxic dust, and many more consequences that have not been mentioned. This shows how important snow can be for us, and how it’s absence can change our lives.