If temperatures drop below freezing for a very short period of time, damage to tender plants is typically minimal. If the same temperature is reached but maintained for several hours, freeze damage to plants is more severe.
Salt Lake City makes up a very small portion of the Salt Lake Valley. With Salt Lake County covering 756 square miles, Salt Lake City covers only 90.5 square miles. Salt Lake City is the largest city in the state with a population of 181,743. Salt Lake County's population is 1.3 million, making it the most populous region in Utah. Overall, Utah is expected to continue to have the youngest population in the nation.
Salt Lake lies in a mountain valley with the Wasatch Mountains to the east and north. The Oquirrh (pronounced oaker) Mountains border the western edge of the valley. Salt Lake's official elevation is 4,330 feet/1,320 meters above sea level. The city is situated on land once covered by the prehistoric Lake Bonneville.