Winter lasts from December through March with long periods of snowfall, freezing temperatures and short daylight hours. December and January are the coldest months of the year. February sometimes brings a mix of winter and spring weather with sneak peeks of warmer temperatures and more sunshine. March begins with cold weather at the start of the spring season in Utah. Early spring is prone to cold fronts, and the arid land has sizable daily temperature differences. A moderate amount of rain falls in March, and the rest takes the form of snow. In April, temperatures rise with the advance of the spring. Measurable snowfall recedes and most ski resorts end operations around mid-April. Spring blooms, rain showers and increasing sunshine dominate the last two weeks of April. Typically, May is a very pleasant month, although higher elevations may still have snow. In June, summer kicks off with enjoyable temperatures, abundant sunshine, and occasional rainfall. July and August are the warmest months of the year. These are the driest months with the least amount of rain. The beginning of September can still bring some hot days, but this is usually when temperatures start to cool. Leaves start to change color in September and really hit their peak by October. October, temperatures continue to cool, and light snow begins to fall. November, temperatures have gone from warm to cold. Snow begins to accumulate in the mountains and ski resorts tend to open toward the end of the month.