Latest winter storm breaks snow records
Northern Arizonaans enjoyed a much-anticipated respite from winter storms that were nothing short of record-breaking on Friday.
In recent weeks, the Arizona highlands have seen storms ranging from a “memorable” wind event to surpassing the average snowfall for the month of March on its first calendar day. Here are some notable highlights.
Flagstaff records second-highest total snowfall through March 1
From July 1 through March 1, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport received just over 140 inches of snow, the second-highest total recorded during this period since data collection began 101 years ago.
“As an overall season (snowfall), we’re not that close to a record,” National Weather Service Flagstaff Office weather forecaster Mark Stubblefield told The Arizona Republic.
Second place is now surpassed only by the record for Pulliam Airport in 1948-49, when nearly 154 inches of snow blanketed the area.
However, the Bellemont Weather Service Bureau set the record for most snow recorded during the same period at 146.7 inches, surpassing the previous 2009-10 mark of just 115.4 inches. That same year, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport also experienced 118 inches, the eighth-highest total snowfall there.
Fourth longest streak of days with snow depth of 10 inches or more
Flagstaff Pulliam Airport experienced its fourth-longest consecutive day streak of 47 days with at least 10 inches or more of snow on the ground this year.
The streak, which ended on March 2, went well beyond its fifth-place counterpart of 39 days, but was a day short of third place set in March 1979.
However, first place is still comfortable with the March 2010 record of 58 days.
It’s also worth noting that snowfall and snow depth are two separate measurements, with snowfall being the sum of the daily recorded number of snowfalls compared to the total snow depth on the ground (snow depth).
Numbers of Snowfall in Northern Arizona
According to the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, snowfall numbers in the Arizona highlands have been nothing short of incredible.
As of March 2, here are the total snowfalls:
- West/Southwest of Downtown Flagstaff: 31 inches
- Kachina Village: 30 inches
- Flagstaff Airport: 24.5 inches
- Mund’s Park: 23.8 inches
- Williams: 23 inches
- Weather Bureau Bellemont: 22 inches
- Washington Park: 19 inches
- 3 miles south of Prescott Courthouse: 13 inches
- West Sedona: 11 inches
For context, Flagstaff Airport’s record for one-day snowfall was set in February 2019, when it recorded a whopping 35.9 inches. While the March 1 total of 24.5 inches may compare to the midgets, it still sets the stage for a new eighth spot for the area, according to weather service data.
Another historic achievement of recent winter storms has been significant drought relief through rain and snowfall. So much so that drought status is no longer applicable to the Flagstaff area.
Record snow has still caused some highways to be closed
Though the snow has eased drought conditions, it still bodes ill for some Arizona highways.
During the peak of the storms, nearly 12 freeways were closed at once, and the list slowly dwindled as the storm subsided. As of Friday morning, that list was reduced to just two highways still affected by weather-related conditions.
- US 180 north of Snowbowl (MP 236-248)
- SR 64 near the east entrance of Grand Canyon National Park (MP 244-261)
prognosis for the future
The weather heading into the weekend is finally set to turn around for northern Arizonans.
A break from snow conditions is much needed (and well deserved) as dry and cool weather takes its place. The Flagstaff Weather Service office also said windy to windy conditions could develop over the weekend through Monday, but the prospect of sunny skies is sure to keep sentiment high.
“It’s sunny and actually above freezing! About 34 degrees,” Stubblefield said. “We still have to tear through the snow but we’re seeing forecast highs in the low 40’s over the next few days and the angle of the sun is pretty intense so that’s certainly helping to clear some of the roads and sidewalks and things like that.”
If we look a little further into the future, snow could soon appear on the horizon again.
“There is another storm showing up in models between March 9th and 10th. So we’re watching something in the future that could bring us more snow,” Stubblefield said.