Ski resorts receive lots of fresh snow

Most ski resorts on the Wasatch Front will open today with plenty of fresh snow. A two-day storm is expected to taper off today, after leaving mountain snowfall in the 12- to 18-inch range, said Chris Gibson, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Friday evening, Sundance reported 20 inches, and it was snowing hard in the upper Cottonwood Canyons, Gibson said. A foot of snow had fallen in Park City by 9:30 p.m. Friday.

Much of Utah Valley was expected to receive only an inch or 2, but more was expected in the Salt Lake Valley, with 4 to 8 inches possible on the benches. In southeast Utah, the I-15 corridor was under a heavy snow warning.

The snowstorms are welcome at Utah's ski resorts , said Jessica Kunzer, spokeswoman for Ski Utah. While most ski resorts are now open, many are operating with limited runs.

"I think this year was kind of a tricky season because we had Thanksgiving so early. ... We didn't have one of our largest November snowfalls," Kunzer says. "We are very optimistic for a great winter right now."