receive substantially more, reaching 80 to 100 in (200 to 255 cm) annually. The four major ski resorts located in canyons surrounding the city regualrly average more than 500" of snow per year. These high snowfall totals can be credited to the lake effect, in which snow storms passing over the Great Salt Lake are amplified by the warm waters of the lake. The lake effect is usually strongest from mid-fall through mid-winter, when lake waters are warmer and land temperatures are cold enough to support snow. Blizzards are very rare in the Salt Lake City valley due to a rarity of extreme winds. Although average snowfall is relatively high, large snowstorms of more than about are rare in the valley. In addition, average winter temperatures in the city are usually not cold enough to support snow cover all winter long. The maximum snow depth recorded in the city was on January 11, 1993. January 1993 was the snowiest month on record, with . The record 24 hour snowfall occurred from February 24–25, 1998, when fell, while the record single storm snowfall occurred from January 6–10, 1993, with . The snowiest season on record was 1951-1952, when fell, while the least snowy winter on record was 1939-1940, with . The airport averages around 37 and 97 days of snow and precipitation, respectively, each year. Daily sunshine hours range from a low of 3.6 in December to a high of 12.3 in July, all for a bountiful total of nearly 3030 hours per year. Other weather events The phenomena El Niño and La Niña also affect precipitation along the Great Basin, bringing occasional cycles of drought and flooding. The largest recent flood in Salt Lake City occurred in 1983. Triggered by a powerful El Niño, an exceptionally large snowpack caused flooding and massive damage. City Creek burst from its underground diversion and flooded the city. Some streets, such as State Street and 1300 South, were converted into makeshift rivers to accommodate the overflowing creek. Some flooding also occurred in 1987, when the Great Salt Lake reached its all-time maximum water level. A 2010 study indicates that this record event occurred during an overlapping period of three prominent climate cycles that are unique in the region. Significant mid-winter temperature inversions often occur in the Salt Lake Valley. These inversions, which often last for days and weeks, are most pronounced in mid-winter, although