Utah’s Geography Notes

Utah’s Climate

• Climate is the “average” weather of a place measured over a long period of time.• Has this week’s weather been a good average for

Utah’s climate?

• Snow does not often build up in the valleys, but it does pile up deeply in the mountains!

• Even if it seems like we have a lot of snow in the mountains, it takes about a foot of snow to equal an inch of rain.

Utah’s Climate (continued)

• The growing season is shorter in Northern Utah because the cold winters are longer– St. George has a longer growing season than

Farmington

Our Water Supply

• Google Earth!• Most of our water comes more than 600

miles across California and Nevada from the Pacific Ocean.

• We in the valleys receive about 12.75 inches of rain per year– Deserts get less than 10

• Farmington is not a desert, but it’s close – it is a steppe climate.

Precipitation is a fancy word for rain and snow.

Our Water Supply (continued)

• Orographic Lifting –

Our Water Supply (continued)

• Good point of orographic lifting: The Wasatch Range causes the the clouds to precipitate on us and on the mountains – where we store it in reservoirs!

• Bad point: There isn’t much water left in the clouds when they get to us.

Our Water Supply (continued)

• Most rivers in Utah flow to either the Great Salt Lake or to the Colorado River (and from the Colorado eventually to the Pacific Ocean.)

Where do people live in Utah?Why?•Climate•Rivers•Jobs•Transportation•Salt Lake City•First settled areas•Recreation•Biggest reason: WATER

Where do people live in Utah?

What are the cons of living in the Wasatch Range?•Earthquake•Flood/Mudslide•Windstorm•Drought•Wildfire•Sever weather (snow)

• Indigenous – a plant or animal native to an area

• Imported – a plant or animal brought to an area by man

Utah’s Plant and Animal Life

Utah’s Plant and Animal Life

• Indigenous plants– sagebrush– grasses– dwarf oak– willows– creosote bush– mesquite– Joshua trees

• Imported plants– wheat– palm trees– fruit trees– tomatoes

Utah’s Plant and Animal Life

• Indigenous Animals– deer– bear– bobcats– coyotes– cougars– buffalo– rainbow trout

• Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge makes a great summer home for migrating birds