Northeastern Nevada and the rest of the Rocky Mountain West got more than just a light dusting of snow this week with the official start of summer just days away.
According to the National Weather Service more than three inches of snow fell in the mountains of the high desert but posed little danger to drivers or hikers.
June snowfall is not that rare in rural Nevada. In the last eight years, snow has fallen in the Rubies, including Lamoille Canyon, in 2012, 2011, 2008 and 2007.
This year’s snowfall was a bit later than recent years by about 10 days.
Snow also fell over the higher elevations, as an upper-level low swirls all over the Northern Rockies. Alta, Utah reported nine inches of snow on Tuesday, which makes it their third highest one-day snowfall total in June. Lake-effect rain and snow has also developed off the Great Salt Lake, with snow above 7,000 feet.
Mountain snow continued through Wednesday night or Thursday morning in parts of the Northern Rockies. Winds will gust up to 30 mph and visibility was be less than half a mile at times. Snow levels will dropped to 6,500 feet through Wednesday, where winter storm warnings are in place. Winter weather advisories were also posted for the Tetons and the Wasatch Mountains.
Plow crews began the process of digging out Logan Pass in Montana last week, and they hope to have the Sun Road open to Logan Pass sometime after June 20. Temperatures should return to June normals within a week.
