Salt Lake has been experiencing a drought for
the last several years, just like much of the country. If you have never been
here, Salt Lake City is in the high desert. There are mountains all around can
help and hinder the climate. The Rocky Mountain to the east and northeast of
the state block frigid air from coming into the valley and so the temps are
milder than you would think for an area that is at 4300 ft and also so far
north. Really cold air that does reach the area comes from the north and western
Canada. Temperatures seldom get below 0 °F.
Temperature inversions sometimes move into the area and create a real
mess. An inversion is when cool air, moisture, and pollutants are trapped
in the valley by surrounding mountains. The air quality becomes very nasty.
There has been an inversion for about the last ten days. When I look straight
up the air is clear with beautiful skies but as I look forward all I see is
thick, brownish, green smoggy air. The temps stay very cold. Lately the highs
have been in the teens and in the single digits at night. The weird thing is
that when an inversion happens the areas around the city that are on the sides
of the mountains and also the ski areas are much warmer—in the 30’s during the
day!! They can look down into the valley and see the thick gunk hanging over
the city!!! Kind of weird.
We finally got a storm strong enough to
blow all the pollutants away and in the meantime dumped a massive amount of
snow. I think our downtown area got about a foot of snow in 24 hours. Many of
the areas around us got around 24 inches of snow and the mountains and ski
resorts got several feet. It has been quite a punch but a welcome relief for
the drought conditions.
We still need lots more. I just googled to
see how much snow it takes to make 1 inch of water. It depends on the
temperature and kind of snow. If the temperature is really cold the snow is
light and fluffy and it can take 20 inches to make an inch of water. If the
temperature is warmer, the snow will be wet and it can take just 3-4 inches on
snow per inch of water. The average is about 10 inches of snow for 1 inch of
water. Utah is known for its “powder”, so it is going to take more snow to add
more water.
Even though I am not used to all the snow
I am not hating it. It is very beautiful and we have a nice warm and dry place
to live. We came prepared with coats, gloves, scarfs and even boots although my
snuggly and warm Ug kind of boots has blown a hole in the side where the boot
meets the sole. NOT GOOD!! We live just 2 blocks from where we work, so life is
good.
Yesterday, Friday, 11 Jan, they closed all
the buildings on Temple Square at 1:30pm and sent everyone home. There weather
was getting worse and worse and so were the roads. They don’t do that very
often.
The Church Office building that is on
Temple Square is 28 stories high and I am sure there are hundreds and hundreds
if not thousands who work there.
Below I have posted a picture of the Salt
Lake Temple as we saw it out the window of my office. Another missionary,
Scarlet Holman, took the picture with her iPad. Thanks Sister Holman for an
awesome picture!!! BTW, it was even more beautiful seeing it in person!!!!!!!
They are telling us the inversion will be back this week! I am NOT fond of the gunky air.
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