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.
The larger Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, Utah Combined Statistical Area has a population of 2.4 million and is comprised of a corridor of development that stretches 120 miles along the Wasatch Front. Salt Lake has 6.75% of Utah's total population and 18% of Salt Lake County's population. The city proper is more densely populated than the surrounding area with a population density of more than 1,689 people per square mile, or 1,050 per square kilometer.