Utah Governor Urges Residents to Seek Divine Help for Snowless Winter

With the state facing drought and below-average snowpack, the governor calls on Utahns to pray for snow.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:23pm

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Amid an unusually dry and snowless winter in Utah, Governor Spencer Cox has urged residents to seek help from a "higher power" and join local faith communities in praying for snow. The state is experiencing severe drought conditions, with snowpack levels well below normal and ski resorts delaying their opening dates due to the lack of powder. Cox, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has made similar appeals for divine intervention in the past, including a call for rain during a drought in 2025.

Why it matters

Utah's ski industry is a major economic driver for the state, and the lack of snow this winter has had a significant impact on ski resorts and related businesses. The governor's call for prayer highlights the desperation felt by many Utahns as they grapple with the effects of climate change and extreme weather patterns.

The details

Data compiled by the Natural Resources Conservation Service shows that the snow water equivalent, a measure of the water content in the snow, is well below the median in basins across Utah. In Salt Lake City, less than an inch of snow has fallen so far this winter, putting the city 30 inches below average. The record for the lowest snowfall in the Salt Lake Valley was set nearly a century ago, during the 1933-34 season, and could be broken this year.

  • In June 2025, Governor Cox asked Utahns to join him in a "unified fast and prayer for rain" as drought and wildfire conditions escalated.
  • On Monday, January 27, 2026, Governor Cox announced his call for Utahns to "seek help from a higher power and do our part to conserve water" amid the ongoing snowless winter.

The players

Governor Spencer Cox

The current governor of Utah, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has previously called on residents to pray for weather-related relief.

Chase Thomason

A local meteorologist who reported that Salt Lake City had seen less than an inch of snow so far this winter, putting the city 30 inches below average.

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What they’re saying

“I invite all Utahns to seek help from a higher power and do our part to conserve water.”

— Governor Spencer Cox (Social media)

“Salt Lake City is now 30 inches below average. Winter took the year off.”

— Chase Thomason, Meteorologist (Social media)

What’s next

The near future does not look promising for skiers, as the Climate Prediction Center's outlook for the week of February 3-9 indicates that Utah is leaning towards seeing below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures.

The takeaway

Governor Cox's call for divine intervention highlights the growing challenges Utah faces due to climate change and extreme weather patterns. As the state's ski industry and broader economy grapple with the impacts of a snowless winter, the governor's appeal to faith communities underscores the desperation felt by many Utahns seeking solutions to this pressing environmental crisis.