In the United States, Utah is known for its mountains, ski resorts and powder snow. Some even say the state has the best snow in the world. In any case, it certainly experiences periods of heavy snowfall, increasing the risk of avalanches.
The start of 2025 was marked by a violent snowstorm in Utah. A motorist saw an avalanche rolling down the mountain as he passed nearby on a state highway.
Images of the Avalanche in Utah are spectacular to see
The images shared are truly terrifying. As you can see in the video below, an enormous white mass stands out from the mountain under a leaden sky swept by snow squalls.
This avalanche was sliding down Little Cottonwood Canyon, which is south of Salt Lake City. It occurred during the first weekend of the year 2025. Fortunately, no victims or injuries were reported.
The dangers are even greater for off-piste skiers and residents of directly exposed mountain areas. A similar avalanche in Utah took the lives of four skiers last year. This time, no skiers were in its path, but the motorists must certainly have been afraid.
Utah state highway closed due to avalanche
The avalanche hit State Route 210 head-on. This state highway in Utah provides access to Little Cottonwood Canyon as well as the Alta and Snowbird ski resorts. Almost 22 km long, this road passes directly through the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
The motorist who shared the video rolled up his car window just seconds before being hit by the avalanche. The road was closed for a day and a half while crews cleared it and took avalanche mitigation measures.
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), which shared the impressive video on the networks, was responsible for cleaning the road. The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City confirmed it received more than 40 centimeters of snow.
Part of the country declared a state of emergency due to this winter storm
The heavy snowfall fortunately finally stopped a few days ago, but the United States is still being hit by a severe winter storm. It crosses the country from the northwest to the east coast bringing snow, ice and freezing rain.
Travel conditions are particularly dangerous at the moment. Seven US states have already declared a state of emergency: Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.
Schools closed, flights canceled, homes without electricity…
At least 5 people lost their lives due to this massive snowstorm. The polar vortex of frigid air has led to mass school closures, large-scale power outages and travel disruptions.
Thousands of flights have been canceled or delayed. Nearly 200,000 people were also without electricity last week. Experts expect cold Arctic air to keep frigid conditions across parts of the country for several more weeks.
Source: Fox Weather
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