October precipitation in the Great Salt Basin has reached 4.1 inches through October 24, 2026, according to a report published October 25, 2026. This marks the second consecutive year of above average precipitation for the month, though the moisture has resulted in limited snowpack.
Data from SNOTEL stations indicates that while the median precipitation for October is 2.5 inches, current accumulation has already reached 4.1 inches. Most of this moisture has ended up in the soil rather than the snowpack. Consequently, there is little snowpack water equivalent at the end of this October compared to last year.
Current snowpack levels remain low at upper-elevation sites. Snowbird reports 0.5 inches of snowpack water equivalent, while Collins Gulch is reported as being near zero by Alta. While some upper-elevation sites show hints of snow, no location is over an inch of snowpack water equivalent.
Atmospheric conditions involve a split-flow situation over the north Pacific. An ECMWF analysis from 0000 UTC October 25, 2026, shows a strong jet emerging from Asia that splits into a polar jet near 70°N and a subtropical jet crossing Hawaii near 20°N. This creates a gap of approximately 5000 km between the two branches.
Forecasts through the end of October suggest no game changing storms before Halloween. However, some ensemble members from the European and US models suggest the possibility of a more substantial storm after that date. The Utah Snow Ensemble predicts a median snowfall of 8.1 inches between now and November 1, 2026, with a range between 0.3 and 20.9 inches.
