Editing Wasatch Front

{{More citations needed|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Wasatch Front
| settlement_type          = [[Region]]
| image_skyline            = Utah State Capitol seen from State Street.jpg
| image_map                = Provo iv.jpg
| image_map1               = Ogden Utah downtown.jpg
| image_caption            = [[Utah State Capitol]], [[Salt Lake City]]
| map_caption              = [[Brigham Young University]], [[Provo, Utah|Provo]]
| map_caption1             = Downtown [[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]]
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = State
| subdivision_name1        = [[Utah]]
| population_as_of         = 2020
| population               = 2,660,359
| official_name            = 
}}

The '''Wasatch Front''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɑː|s|æ|tʃ}} is a major metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of [[Utah]]. It consists of a chain of contiguous cities and towns stretched along the [[Wasatch Range]] from [[Santaquin, Utah|Santaquin]] in the south to [[Pleasant View, Utah|Pleasant View]] in the north, and containing the cities of [[Salt Lake City]], [[Provo, Utah|Provo]], [[Orem]], [[Bountiful, Utah|Bountiful]], [[Layton, Utah|Layton]], and [[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2008-05-18 |title=Megalopolis: Urban sprawl slowly blurs Wasatch Front towns, cities |url=https://www.deseret.com/2008/5/18/20253049/megalopolis-urban-sprawl-slowly-blurs-wasatch-front-towns-cities |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>

== Geography ==
The Wasatch Front is long and narrow. To the east, the Wasatch Mountains rise abruptly several thousand feet above the valley floors, climbing to their highest elevation of {{convert|11928|ft|m}} at [[Mount Nebo (Utah)|Mount Nebo]] (bordering southern [[Utah Valley]]). The area's western boundary is formed by [[Utah Lake]] in [[Utah County, Utah|Utah County]], the [[Oquirrh Mountains]] in [[Salt Lake County, Utah|Salt Lake County]], and the [[Great Salt Lake]] in northwestern [[Salt Lake County, Utah|Salt Lake]], [[Davis County, Utah|Davis]], [[Weber County, Utah|Weber]], and southeastern [[Box Elder County, Utah|Box Elder]] county.

Though most residents of the area live between [[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]] and [[Provo, Utah|Provo]] (a distance of {{convert|80|mi|km|disp=sqbr}}), which includes Salt Lake City proper, the fullest built-out extent of the Wasatch Front is {{convert|120|mi|km}} long and on average {{convert|5|mi|km|sigfig=1}} wide. Along its length, the Wasatch Front never exceeds a width of approximately {{convert|18|mi|km}} because of the natural barriers of lakes and mountains.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

Sustained [[drought]] in Utah has more recently strained the region's [[water security]], causing the Great Salt Lake to drop to record low levels,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slc.gov/mayor/drought/ |title= Drought 2022|website=www.slc.gov |access-date=April 16, 2022}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Great Salt Lake Reaches New Historic Low |url=https://www.usgs.gov/news/great-salt-lake-reaches-new-historic-low |website=USGS |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior |access-date=April 16, 2022}}</ref> and affecting the state's economy, of which the Wasatch Front constitutes 80%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.utahbusiness.com/if-we-want-growth-we-need-water-solutions/ |title= If we want growth, we need water solutions|website=www.utahbusiness.com |date= 11 May 2022|access-date=July 13, 2022}}{{title missing|date=September 2022}}</ref>

== Climate ==
The Wasatch Front is a [[semi-arid]] region at the eastern edge of the [[Great Basin]]. The urban corridor mainly lies in zone 7<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gilmour.com/utah-planting-zones |title=Utah Planting Zones |publisher=Gilmour}}</ref> with minimum average winter temperatures ranging between {{convert|0|and|20|°F}} and daytime high temperatures ranging from the mid-30&nbsp;°F to mid-40&nbsp;°F range (-1 and 4&nbsp;°C). Snowfall is common during winter but often melts rapidly. [[Inversion (meteorology)|Inversions]] commonly occur along the Wasatch Front during mid-winter making for very cold temperatures and gloomy conditions lasting for several weeks at times in the valleys, while the higher mountain elevations will experience clear and warmer conditions. Localized [[lake-effect snow]]fall from the Great Salt Lake is common in the late Fall and early winter. The first freeze usually occurs in early October in the outlying areas but can occur as late as early November in the inner urban areas. The last freeze can occur broadly between early April and late May.

Summers are generally hot and dry, with the exception of the summer thunderstorm seasonal pattern which usually runs from early July through early September, when often intense thunderstorms occur due to mid-latitude weather patterns including the Pacific storm track.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thiessen |first=Alfred E. |date=December 1915 |title=The Weather and Climate of Salt Lake City, Utah |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1915)43<611d:saopat>2.0.co;2 |journal=Monthly Weather Review |volume=43 |issue=12 |pages=611–612 |doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1915)43<611d:saopat>2.0.co;2 |issn=0027-0644|doi-access=free }}</ref> Daytime high temperatures are around {{Convert|95|F|C|}}, with higher temperatures often created by the [[urban heat island]] effect.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.visitutah.com/plan-your-trip/weather/ |title=Utah Weather |publisher=Visit Utah }}</ref>

== Population centers ==

[[File:Utah population map.png|thumb|200px|right|A map of the [[population density]] in [[List of counties in Utah|Utah's counties]], showing the Wasatch Front as the most populous region]]

Several [[downtown]] and commercial districts encompass the Wasatch Front, including the [[Salt Lake City metropolitan area]], the [[Provo–Orem metropolitan area]] (south of Salt Lake), and the [[Ogden–Clearfield metropolitan area|Ogden-Clearfield metropolitan area]] (north of Salt Lake). Nearly all of the cities within the region are connected by continuous [[suburban]] development.<ref name=":0" />

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Rank
! County
! [[2010 United States census|2010 census]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010 |title=TOTAL POPULATION (P1) |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Population%20Total&t=Population%20Total&g=0500000US49003,49005,49011,49035,49049,49057&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1&tp=true |access-date=April 30, 2022 |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
! [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020 |title=TOTAL POPULATION (B01003) |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Population%20Total&t=Population%20Total&g=0500000US49003,49005,49011,49035,49049,49057&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1&tp=true |access-date=April 30, 2022 |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
! Growth %
|-
| align=right | 1
|[[Salt Lake County, Utah|Salt Lake]]
|{{change|1029655|1185238|date=December 31, 2017}}
|-
| align=right | 2
|[[Utah County, Utah|Utah]]
|{{change|516564|659399|date=December 31, 2017}}
|-
| align=right | 3
|[[Davis County, Utah|Davis]]
|{{change|306479|362679|date=December 31, 2017}}
|-
| align=right | 4
|[[Weber County, Utah|Weber]]
|{{change|231236|262223|date=December 31, 2017}}
|-
| align=right | 8
|[[Box Elder County, Utah|Box Elder]]
|{{change|49975|57666|date=December 31, 2017}}
|- class="sortbottom"
| align=center colspan=2 | Total
| {{change|2246565|2660359|date=December 31, 2017}}
|}

== Transportation ==
[[File:Utah Lake by boat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|[[Mount Timpanogos]], in the Wasatch Range, viewed from Utah Lake. Several Wasatch Front cities lie between these natural features.]]
[[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]] has served as a major railway hub through much of its history. The [[First transcontinental railroad]] was constructed between 1863 and 1869, with the tracks reaching Ogden on March 27, 1869. Trains heading east from Ogden must negotiate the highest reaches of eastern Utah, travelling through [[Weber Canyon|Weber]] and Echo Canyons and over the [[Wasatch Range|Wasatch Pass]] at an elevation of 6,792 feet.

[[Union Pacific]] has operated the world's most powerful locomotives to haul freight over the Wasatch Mountains between [[Cheyenne, Wyoming|Cheyenne]] and Ogden, including [[American Locomotive Company]]'s famous [[Union Pacific Big Boy|"Big Boys"]], the world's largest steam locomotive; [[General Electric|GE's]] [[Union Pacific GTELs|Gas Turbines]] known as the "Big Blows" (because of their distinctive sound), the world's most powerful internal combustion locomotive; and [[General Motors|GM's]] [[EMD DDA40X|"Big Jacks"]], the most powerful single-unit diesel locomotive type ever built.

Transportation issues within the metropolitan area have been complicated by the narrow north–south orientation of the valley, constrained by the natural barriers on both sides, and the rapid growth of the region.

The primary modes of transport for the area are [[Interstate 15 in Utah|Interstate 15]] (I‑15) and [[U.S. Route 89 in Utah|U.S. Route 89]] (US‑89), both of which run down its center from north to south for the full length of about {{convert|120|mi|km}}. Other [[interstates]] and [[highways]] provide transportation routes to local areas within the Wasatch Front. Such transportation routes include [[Interstate 84 in Utah|Interstate 84]] in the Ogden area; the Legacy Parkway ([[Utah State Route 67|State Route 67]]) running north–south through western Davis County; [[Interstate 80 in Utah|Interstate 80]] running east–west through Salt Lake City; [[Interstate 215 (Utah)|Interstate 215]] (I‑215) circling the inner Salt Lake Valley; the Mountain View Corridor ([[Utah State Route 85|State Route 85]]), Bangerter Highway ([[Utah State Route 154|State Route 154]]), and [[Utah State Route 201|State Route 201]] to the west of Salt Lake City;  [[U.S. Route 189 (Utah)|U.S. Route 189]] through Provo, and [[U.S. Route 6 in Utah|U.S. Route 6]] in southern Utah County.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mapquest.com/us/utah/utah-282094692|title=Utah - Map of Cities in UT - MapQuest|website=www.mapquest.com}}</ref>

The [[Utah Transit Authority]] provides bus and [[light rail]] (TRAX) service to most of the urban areas within the Wasatch Front. Additionally, a double-decker [[Commuter rail in North America|commuter rail]] line ''[[FrontRunner]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rideuta.com/sitecore/content/home/404?item=%2fprojects%2fcommuterrail%2fdefault&user=extranet%5cAnonymous&site=website|title=404|website=www.rideuta.com}}</ref> running from North Ogden to Provo, is in full operation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/legacy/|title=Utah Department of Transportation Legacy Parkway page}}</ref>

The ''[[California Zephyr]]'' of [[Amtrak]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.amtrak.com/home/|title=Amtrak home page}}</ref> is the primary rail transport leading in and out of the Wasatch Front, having a station in [[Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub|Salt Lake City]] and [[Provo station (Amtrak)|Provo]].

[[Salt Lake City International Airport]] serves as the primary airport for the region. [[Ogden-Hinckley Airport]] and [[Provo Municipal Airport]] also provide scheduled commercial air service.

{{wide image|Wasatchfront.jpg|2793px|The Salt Lake Valley urban area, part of the Wasatch Front. The [[Wasatch Range]] prevents the Wasatch Front from expanding further eastward.}}

== Growth and land use ==
Because of the geographical barriers to the east and west, much of the land along the Wasatch Front has been developed.  The region has experienced considerable growth since the 1950s, with its population increasing 308% from 492,374 to 2,051,330. Much of the remaining undeveloped land is rapidly being developed, and local governments have grappled with problems of [[urban sprawl]] and other land-use concerns.

The region on the other side of the [[Wasatch Range]], including cities such as [[Park City, Utah|Park City]], [[Morgan, Utah|Morgan]], [[Heber City, Utah|Heber City]], and [[Midway, Utah|Midway]], is sometimes referred to as the [[Wasatch Back]] and has recently shared in the rapid growth of the region.{{clear}}
[[File:East side of the Wasatch Front, Salt Lake City.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|center|An aerial view looking south along the Wasatch Front, in 2021.]]

==See also==

* [[Salt Lake City metropolitan area]]
* [[Wasatch Back]]
* [[Wasatch Fault]]
* [[2003 Utah snowstorm]]
* [[Payson-Dixon line]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wasatch Front}}
* {{Cite journal | url = https://www.visitutah.com/places-to-go/state-and-federal-recreation-areas/northern/wasatch-mountains/ | title = Wasatch Mountains | place = UT }} Utah Office of Tourism

{{Wasatch Front}}
{{Utah}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|40.6|N|111.9|W|format=dec|display=title|type:adm1st_scale:2000000_region:US-UT}}

[[Category:Wasatch Front| ]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Utah]]
[[Category:Regions of Utah]]
[[Category:Wasatch Range]]
[[Category:Geography of Box Elder County, Utah]]
[[Category:Geography of Davis County, Utah]]
[[Category:Geography of Juab County, Utah]]
[[Category:Geography of Salt Lake County, Utah]]
[[Category:Geography of Utah County, Utah]]
[[Category:Geography of Weber County, Utah]]