Very strong north to northeast winds caused significant damage and combined with cold temperatures to produce extremely cold wind chills above 9000 feet in the San Francisco Peaks area north of Flagstaff. The highest wind gust of 90 kt (105 mph) was recorded by the Arizona Snowbowl ski area at 0300 MST at an elevation of 10,800 feet.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.
Very strong north to northeast winds caused significant damage and combined with cold temperatures to produce extremely cold wind chills above 9000 feet in the San Francisco Peaks area north of Flagstaff. The highest wind gust of 90 kt (105 mph) was recorded by the Arizona Snowbowl ski area at 0300 MST at an elevation of 10,800 feet. Winds blew down approximately 80 trees in the Arizona Snowbowl. One fallen tree caused several thousand dollars damage to a ski lift. Communication lines and power were down also for several hours on the morning of the 18th.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, December 1996
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5581227.