Sometimes, the only way to get through the summer heat is to think ahead to winter: browsing the off-season ski sales, planning trips, watching videos from your favorite influencer’s ski trip to New Zealand or Chile.    

The vibe at Ski Utah is no different, said Director of Communications Alison Palmintere.

“Contrary to popular belief, we do quite a lot of work in the summer preparing for the winter,” she said. “When it’s hot outside, it’s kind of nice to focus on the winter and be in that mindset.”

A large part of those preparations, Palmintere said, is focused on encouraging Utahns to explore the resorts in their own backyards. Getting the word out on different passes and programs from Ski Utah is the first step. Palmintere said they’re working from all angles, designing billboards, TV ads and social media posts.

They’re continuing the fourth- fifth- and sixth-grade Passport Program and the Yeti and Gold Passes that give access to all of Utah’s resorts.

This will be Ski Utah’s second year partnering with the Youth Sports Alliance on their after-school ski program. The program gets elementary school students outside to ski and snowboard and includes lessons on the mountain and transportation from campus. Through their collaboration, the two organizations are able to offer income-based scholarships for kids to explore recreation areas like Woodward, Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain.

Ski Utah is also focused on getting people on the slopes who might not have the opportunity to otherwise. The Discover Winter program is designed with that goal in mind. 

“Discover Winter is a program aimed at inclusivity and giving demographics who are underrepresented on the slopes a chance to experience skiing,” Palmintere said.

Skiing and snowboarding can be hard sports to get into, especially as an adult. Expenses like lift tickets, gear, transportation and lessons often make it difficult for people who just want to try it out.

By lowering some of the barriers to entry, the Discover Winter program is designed specifically for adults from underrepresented communities who want to learn to ski.

The program offers participants gear rentals, lessons, transportation to resorts and a Yeti pass at the end of the course. Palmintere said many people have returned season after season, with some even going on to become instructors themselves.

“There are lots of programs out there geared towards getting kids out on the slopes,” Palmintere said. “But we realize that if the kid doesn’t have an adult who skis in their life, it makes it a little more difficult for them to continue skiing.”

There have been over 1,100 participants in Discover Winter so far, with the program accepting about 350 applicants each year. 

Palmintere said they’re working on getting their pre-season messaging out to visitors as well as locals. Palmintere said they’re making visits throughout the United States to represent the Utah ski industry directly. 

The Ski Utah team is looking forward to the “super” El Niño forecasted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the likelihood for above-average snowfall this winter. 

Last season’s low snowfall got quite a bit of attention, and Palmintere said it was “unfortunate” to see the viral videos on social media showing dry slopes in Utah resorts. Even though there was less natural snowfall, there were still good ski days, she said. 

“The resorts in Utah take keeping up with technologies and snowmaking … seriously, and they have been doing that for years and years, and they continue to do that,” Palmintere said. 

Beyond promoting the resorts, Palmintere said Ski Utah works hard to share information about responsible tourism with visitors and locals. She said the team wants people to be mindful of everything that goes into a ski day, from parking to ski school to dinner reservations. And for locals who might be more familiar with the ins and outs of planning, she said Ski Utah wants people to remember that the people at the resorts are your neighbors and to keep the community in mind.

Visit the Youth Sports Alliance website for more information on their collaboration with Ski Utah. Information on all other Ski Utah programs can be found on their website, skiutah.com.

The post Ski Utah prepares for winter appeared first on Park Record.

Meteorologists are predicting that a strong monsoon season will start this weekend, which could potentially last through the end of summer. 

Forecasting group OpenSnow earlier this week released its 2026 North American Monsoon Season Update, authored by meteorologist Alan Smith. The report predicts “above normal” rain through most of the state, though specific figures were unavailable.

“On the heels of a record-setting heat wave across parts of the West in recent days, this monsoon pattern is coming in strong, and it looks like it is going to continue at an impressive clip through at least late July,” the forecast states.

The National Weather Service predicts the rainfall could start as early as this weekend. The detailed forecast calls for showers and a possible thunderstorm on Saturday as well as a 40% chance on Sunday.

Rain was also expected on Monday, with the chance of precipitation at 60%. New rainfall amounts were expected to be up to a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible during thunderstorms. There is also a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

With heavy rainfall comes an increased risk of flooding. No flood watches or advisories are in effect going into the weekend, but the Wasatch Back is inherently at an increased risk of flooding because of its canyons and slopes.

The OpenSnow forecast noted there were brief monsoon-like patterns in late June and early July.

Summit County Emergency Management Director Kathryn McMullin said county and state offices are ready if flooding does occur. She emphasized the county is alert, but there’s no need for fear.

“Preparedness is key,” said McMullin. 

Summit County is working to prepare sandbags and organize volunteer teams if the need arises. Officials are also monitoring burn scars from past wildfires, but McMullin explained that those are away from residential areas.

McMullin advised residents to stay mindful of their own homes, too. Monitoring drainage paths and debris buildup is important in avoiding damage if flooding were to occur. One of the most important things residents can do is sign up for local, state and federal alert systems and ensure there are multiple ways to receive notifications. 

Summit County has its own alert system and posts updates on social media. The National Weather Service also sends out wireless emergency alerts and broadcasts the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.

Smith advised being mindful of flash floods while recreating. 

“If you’re outside in the backcountry or you’re watching radar, the thing I would pay attention to is slow-moving thunderstorm cells,” he said.

Smith continued, “If you get something that pops up, if it’s a strong looking cell and it’s not moving much at all, that means it could be sitting on top of that area. That also increases the potential for heavy rainfall and for flash flooding.”

If there’s any water on the road, McMullin said to remember the “turn around, don’t drown” adage. Flooding can also be reported to the nonemergency dispatch line, McMullin said. And above all, Smith and McMullin say, pay attention to local National Weather Service warnings. 

Though the rain may be welcome in a dry summer following record-breaking low snowpack, there’s no telling if the above-average precipitation will continue into winter.

Smith said summer precipitation doesn’t have a strong correlation with winter precipitation. The strong weather patterns creating the ongoing “super El Niño” could continue to improve the outlook on winter snow conditions, though it’s still too early to say.

“El Niño is rapidly strengthening this summer, and long-range projections still indicate this could potentially be a record-strong El Niño heading into the winter months,” the forecast states.

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