Quick, wild storm will yield to a mostly sunny weekend

It looks like March will make its exit like a lion, but the feline won't be too ferocious.

In contrast to the month's mild and bone-dry beginning, the next two days will offer snow and rain with near record-low temperatures.

Today's storm system should bring some snow to the valley floor and as much as 6 inches on the benches. Snow and rain showers will be hit-and-miss throughout the valley all day with temperatures in the upper 30s, peaking at 40, said KSL meteorologist Mark Eubank. That is near-record cold.

But, as has been the pattern during the past few weeks, a sharp warming trend should provide sun and milder temperatures this weekend.

"So here's the bottom line: If it snows on your driveway, just let it sit there. It'll melt," Eubank said. "That's the beautiful thing about spring snow. It melts fast."

Thursday, the sunshine will return, and temperatures will be in the upper 40s to mid-50s. By Friday and Saturday, skies will be mostly sunny with highs reaching into the mid-60s.

But Chris Brenchley, forecaster at the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, said there is a chance of more storms early next week.

Last week's precipitation spiked snowpack numbers all over the state.

The Wasatch Mountains' snowpack last week was at 110 percent of normal. Early this week, they registered at 126 percent of normal. State averages also went up from 120 percent to 137 percent within the past week.

March joins the rest of the months with above-average precipitation and average temperatures this year.

"It's been a fabulous March," said Eubank. "The first half was dry, but the second half has just been unbelievable."

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com