Temperatures sink at Peter Sinks, Utah!

Early this week was very cold in Utah and while Park City scored a -4 Fahrenheit (-20 celsius) on Tuesday morning, an unknown place to most, called Peter Sinks, and located about 140 miles (225 km) to the north of us, near the Idaho border, registered -53 (-47 celsius) on Monday!

This place, a natural sinkhole in northern Utah, is one of the coldest places in the contiguous United States. Another one is Grand Forks, North Dakota, due to its high latitude, flat topography, and exposure to Arctic air. Peter Sinks is located 8,164 feet (2,488 meters), above sea level, in the Bear River Mountains about 20 mi (32 km) east of Logan where my son attended university. 

Due to temperature inversions that trap cold nighttime air, it routinely produces the lowest temperatures in the US mainland, Alaska excepted. Even in the summer, the bottom of the sinkhole rarely goes four consecutive days without freezing. 

It is so cold near the bottom of the hole that trees are unable to grow. I’m glad I’ve learned about this cool place and might even visit it next summer when the weather is getting to hot for me in Park City!