SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A record slow winter is taking a toll on Utah businesses. National Weather Service meteorologist Hayden Mayhan said the state is in a snow drought that could have lasting impacts on both water resources and people’s finances.
Cameron Simpson is the owner of Utah Sprinkler Pros. He repairs and installs sprinklers and, during winter, he plows snow.
He said the lack of snow has made this winter especially difficult for his business, which relies heavily on snow removal.
“Financially, it makes it really tough,” said Cameron Simpson, owner of Utah Sprinkler Pros.
Simpson said snow removal typically makes up about 40 to 50 percent of his company’s overall yearly profit.
With one of the slowest winters Utah has seen in years, he said he has been forced to make difficult decisions to keep the business afloat, including laying off employees and selling off equipment they are no longer using.
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“What do we need to do to make sure we have enough money until spring, knowing that at this point we’re not really counting on it snowing at all?” Simpson said.
The financial strain comes as weather experts have said Utah is dealing with drought conditions, even though overall precipitation levels are near normal.
“Unfortunately, we are in drought right now,” said Hayden Mayhan with the National Weather Service.
Mayhan said the issue is not a lack of precipitation, but the form it is falling in.
“We’re not getting it in the form of snow. And that’s what we want to see this time of year, because the snowpack is what sustains our water resources,” Mayhan said.
According to the National Weather Service, about 95 percent of Utah’s water supply comes from snowmelt. While that raises concerns about the future, Mayhan said the state is still seeing some short-term benefits from past conditions.
“In terms of the short term, we are still benefiting from our record-breaking winter back in 2023,” Mayhan said.
“Our reservoirs in terms of water are still sitting higher than where they typically are this time of year. But we’re quickly eating into a lot of that water.”
Mayhan said current snowpack conditions remain a concern for the state moving forward.
“It’s definitely concerning in terms of snow is the lifeblood for a lot of Utah,” he said.
For business owners like Simpson, the uncertainty is not just about water resources, but livelihoods.
“Everybody can feel for them,” Mayhan said of people who depend on snow for their income.
Despite the challenges, Mayhan said he remains hopeful the rest of winter could still bring relief.
“We’re optimistic and hope that our weather pattern changes and we can get a little bit more out of the winter than what we’ve gotten so far,” he said.
Simpson said his company is currently taking on other types of work to help sustain the business until spring.
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