Big storm coming for Christmas

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Dec 25, 2008 by Ben Winslow Deseret News

It's a white Christmas after all.

Tree tops will glisten as a winter storm is expected to dump more than a foot of snow across the Wasatch Front, according to the National Weather Service.

A cold front sweeping in from the west should bring periods of heavy snow, leaving anywhere from 12 to 18 inches on the ground by Friday.

Winds may make visibility difficult at times, and officials urged caution for drivers -- so that children might hear those sleigh bells instead of car horns.

"We brace for every storm," said Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Nigbur. "Typically in the morning, people are opening presents and there's less travel than normal. When everybody gets out of their homes to see family, that's when we might see a jump in crashes."

Nigbur said troopers will be put on standby for the holiday.

If you're thinking about a ski day, Utah's mountains are expecting to see anywhere from 20 to 30 inches of powder by the weekend, according to the Weather Service.

Snow is also in the forecast for Cedar City and the I-15 corridor. The Utah Department of Transportation said the road leading up to the Brian Head ski resort was snow-covered, with chains or four-wheel drive required.

For those of you in St. George, however, keep dreaming. The forecast calls for rain.

E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com