Where can you find consistently good skiing weather? Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, has at least some claim to the world's best powder weather. Deer Valley Ski Resort and the headquarters of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association both take advantage of mountain weather. Deer Valley and other resorts reflect Utah’s “Greatest Snow on Earth” license plate logo, according to experts on weather. Deer Valley offers the right kind of snow on more days, although other locations can total up more inches of snowy weather. Deer Valley has two factors contributing to great snow skiing weather. Deer Valley, because of the Wasatch Mountains, receives large quantities of low-to-moderate density snow from stormy western weather. Deer Valley also receives a lighter type of snow that makes for great powder skiing weather. Deer Valley, often benefitting from what is known as the “lake effect” created by the warmer, moister air of the Great Salt Lake, gets lots of lighter, fluffier snow weather. Deer Valley, however, can’t claim the snowiest weather. Deer Valley gets less snow than Hokkaido Island during Japan’s December and January monsoon weather. Deer Valley skiing, however, can run from mid-November to mid-May, depending on the weather. Deer Valley gets more of those deep-powder days due to the type and amount of snow it receives over the longer ski season.
The Wasatch Mountains catch the wet storm weather Deer Valley gets from the west and help create ideal skiing weather. Deer Valley and other Utah ski resorts receive the kind of snow that makes deep-powder skiing a delight. While snow that falls in the Sierra Nevada Mountains averages 10- to 12-percent density, the snow dumped in Utah’s ski resorts averages only 8.5 percent during snowy weather. Deer Valley storms create a denser base of snow followed by a lighter, drier topping because they tend to progress to colder and drier weather. Deer Valley then gets snowfalls that are called “right side up” by experts on the weather. Deer Valley slopes give the skier a feeling of floating on the snow. Utah’s beautiful snow also comes from “lake effect” weather. Deer Valley catches the lighter kind of snow preferred for great skiing weather. Deer Valley receives colder air from the west which has moved over the warmer Great Salt Lake, developing into heavy snow storms that blow into Utah’s mountains, providing more of the powder snow weather Deer Valley skiers love.
