Climate Station Tables

Climate is determined by the study of weather observations over a long period of time, which is usually a time frame of at least 30 years. There are many factors that contribute to the long-term weather observed at a given site. Location and Topography can influence the type of weather that generally prevails over a given area. Northern, higher latitude locations are generally cooler than southern, lower latitude locations. Likewise, higher elevation locations are typically cooler and wetter than lower elevation locations. A weather station's proximity to a topographic barrier such as a mountain range can also have an effect on elements like accumulated precipitation, snowfall, etc. The regional eastward moving air, for example encounters a mountain barrier it is forced upward and any associated precipitation may be enhanced. Because of this a station on the west, or windward, side of a mountain barrier will typically receive more precipitation than a station on the east or leeward, side of the same barrier.

Utah is home to a large variety of terrain. Mountain ranges stretch in a generally north-south orientation across much of the state, most prominently found along the central spine of Utah. These include the Wasatch, Bear River, and Pahvant Ranges, and the Oquirrh, Stansbury, and Tushar Mountains. The Uinta Mountains span east-west in the northeast corner of Utah and contain the highest peaks in the state. Mid-to-high elevation valleys and basins are found near these mountain ranges. Desert plateaus and slick rock canyons are prevalent in the south and southeast regions while barren desert valleys cover to as high as 13,500 feet. In order to gain an understanding of the climate found in Utah, one must study the data from weather stations in these different regions. Below are links to tables of data around Utah.