CLIMATE:
Heber Valley is a high altitude [5,500 feet] semi-arid steppe (10-15" annual
precipitation) with an almost perfect four-season climate. Precipitation is highly microclimatic.
We live on the east side of Heber Valley, with about 10" precipitation a year, but we can a see
temperate rain forest on the mountians across the valley. We can see the top of Alta ski resort
from our windows, 8.5 miles away. One major winter storm dumped 6.5 feet of snow on Alta over
six days. We never had to clean our driveway. I skied 85-90 days a year for each of the last
seven years, and only twice had to slow down to about 50mph driving to the ski area on account
of the weather. The Wasatch Range, rising 6,000-7,000 feet above Heber Valley, blocks most of
the storms, keeping the valley relatively snow free. And there are lots of snow plows.
WINTER:
Winters are not extreme, with an occasional low around -20°, but the strong sunshine
and low humidity lets kids walk to school in shorts and T-shirts in mid-winter. Anyone living
where the humidity exceeds 30% will never understand this until they experience it.
The valley is picture-postcard snow-covered from December to February, but it's no problem.
The Wasatch Mountains, forming the south, east, and west sides of Heber Valley, are the heart of an incredible snow belt (250-500" annual snowfall) that produces the best recreational skiing
conditions in the world.
SUMMER:
Summer is high season, when the people living in the Salt Lake Valley escape to
Heber Valley for a break from the summer heat. Summers have hot, dry days and cool nights, the
most remarkable being the all time high of 104° preceded by a low of 48°. Summer highs
average 85°, and lows are 40° cooler. Bring a sweater. We don't find it unusual to change clothes
three times a day in the summer and to use wool blankets at night. Summer also has the most
diverse recreation. Be careful of the summer weather forecast when the weatherman talks about
"monsoon rains" coming. A monsoon, most famous in India, does not mean lots of rain. The
normal weather pattern in the northern hemisphere is that winds and storms move from the west
or northwest. The monsoon is a reversal of the normal pattern. In America’s southwest,
including Utah, it refers to occasional short rains that come from the south or southwest, out of
Mexico.
The Monsoon last for 2-3 weeks around the first of August. This year, in three weeks of
monsoon weather, it rained three times in Heber Valley. The biggest one lasted for 10-15
minutes. Monsoon rains are largely restricted to mountain thunderstorms. Do what the
weatherman advised one day, "The chance of rain is 30%. Don’t change your plans."
Monsoon does raise the humidify from the summer’s typical 10-15% to 30-35%, which can it a
little sticky in the early afternoon.
FALL and SPRING:
Fall and spring bring consistently low humidity, lots of sunshine, pleasant
days, and often chilly nights. Expect mountain snow in the high elevations by mid-September, but
no accumulation. Snow can linger into June at the higher elevations, so keep that in mind if you
plan to do mountain climbing or mountain biking.
Fall and spring are low season, except for hunting season when motels get crowded. Fall offers
most of the summer activities without crowds and at lower prices. Toping it off, the fall foliage
rivals Vermont. My straw poll found that 70-80% of those who have seen fall in both Vermont
and the Wasatch(the mountain range around Heber Valley) prefer the Wasatch.
In spring, the high mountains are still snow covered, and you can ski in the morning and golf in
the afternoon. Snowbird, 75 minutes away, sometimes stays open until the Fourth of July.