Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 14 to 15, 2008

Name: Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 14 to 15, 2008
Start: 2008-02-14T06:00
End: 2008-02-15T21:00
Location: Arizona

February 14 to 15, 2008 · NWS FGZ · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A strong and cold Pacific storm brought significant snow to portions of northern Arizona on February 14th and 15th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.

A strong and cold Pacific storm brought significant snow to portions of northern Arizona on February 14th and 15th.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 14, 4:20 AM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 14, 4:20 AM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
420 AM MST THU FEB 14 2008

.SYNOPSIS...A VIGOROUS PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT
NORTHERN ARIZONA THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL GATHER
MOISTURE TODAY AND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN PRODUCING INCREASINGLY HEAVY
SNOWFALL BY THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTERN MOGOLLON
RIM...WHITE MOUNTAINS...AND CHUSKA MOUNTAINS. SNOW...HEAVY AT
TIMES...WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN
ARIZONA. DRY CONDITIONS AND A WARMING TREND WILL RETURN FOR THE
WEEKEND.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE GREAT BASIN IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE TO DIG SOUTHWARD UNTIL FRIDAY...DRAWING SUBTROPICAL
MOISTURE AS IT DOES SO. THE CIRCULATION AROUND THIS SYSTEM WILL THEN
BRING THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL PRECIPITATION TO THE EASTERN RIM AND
WHITE MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE CHUSKA MOUNTAINS BEGINNING THIS EVENING
AND LASTING THROUGH FRIDAY. THE COLDEST AIR WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL
ALSO SWING THROUGH SOUTHERN ARIZONA...BRINGING LOWER SNOW LEVELS ON
THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE MOGOLLON RIM (TO AROUND 4500 FEET ELEVATION)
AND SOMEWHAT HIGHER LEVELS NORTH OF THE RIM (AROUND 5500 FEET
ELEVATION). AS A RESULT...A WINTER STORM WATCH WILL BE EXPANDED
THROUGH THIS AREA. STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ABOVE 7000 FEET ARE
LIKELY TO FALL IN THE 8 TO 16 INCH RANGE ALONG THE EASTERN RIM AND
WHITE MOUNTAINS...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS AT LOWER ELEVATIONS.

IN THE SHORTER TERM...A SNOW ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE FOR NORTHWESTERN
PORTIONS OF ARIZONA WHERE SNOW HAS ALREADY BEGUN IN RESPONSE TO A
COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM PUSHING SOUTHWARD. SNOW
AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MODEST TODAY WITH AROUND 2 TO 4 INCHES
FALLING ABOVE 6500 FEET ELEVATION BY THIS EVENING. EAST FLAGSTAFF
COULD SEE AN INCREASE IN SNOW OVERNIGHT AS MOIST EASTERLY FLOW
DEVELOPS NORTH OF THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER...BUT WHETHER THIS FEATURE
IS ABLE TO DEVELOP IS STILL UNCERTAIN.

AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT DRAPED ACROSS NORTHERN AZ THIS
MORNING...STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE EASTERN
RIM...LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...AND CHUSKA MOUNTAINS WHERE A
WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BRING DRY CONDITIONS AND A WARMING TREND
THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION...FOR THE 12Z PACKAGE...A STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD
FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN ARIZONA OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WITH LOCAL SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 40 KT CAN BE ANTICIPATED THROUGH 23Z TODAY...MAINLY
EAST OF A LINE FROM KPAN-KINW-KRQE. THROUGH 18Z...EXPECT SNOW
SHOWERS NORTH OF A KPRC-KFLG-KRQE LINE...GRADUALLY SPREADING
SOUTHEASTWARD DURING THE AFTERNOON. BY TONIGHT...AREAS OF MODERATE
TO LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL
ARIZONA...ABOVE 5500 FEET. EXPECT WIDESPREAD AREAS WITH IFR CEILINGS
AND VISIBILITY LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH OBSCURATION OF HIGHER
TERRAIN FEATURES. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDMENTS.

&&

.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

WIND ADVISORY AZ ZONES 011>013-016-040 UNTIL 4 PM MST TODAY.

WIND ADVISORY AZ ZONES 014-017 UNTIL 6 PM MST TODAY.

SNOW ADVISORY AZ ZONES 004>007-015-039 UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.

WINTER STORM WATCH AZ ZONES 011-013-014-040 ABOVE 5500 FEET
ELEVATION FROM 6 PM MST TODAY UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT.

WINTER STORM WATCH AZ ZONES 016>018 ABOVE 4500 FEET ELEVATION FROM 6
PM MST TODAY UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT.

&&

ONTON/JJ

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 13, 6:00 AM MST, 24 hours before

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
600 AM MST WED FEB 13 2008

AZZ004>018-037>040-140700-
WESTERN MOGOLLON RIM-GRAND CANYON COUNTRY-YAVAPAI COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS AND BASINS-OAK CREEK AND SYCAMORE CANYONS-
MARBLE AND GLEN CANYONS-KAIBAB PLATEAU-COCONINO PLATEAU-
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD-
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264-
CHINLE VALLEY-CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU-
BLACK MESA AREA-LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY-
EASTERN MOGOLLON RIM-WHITE MOUNTAINS-NORTHERN GILA COUNTY-
600 AM MST WED FEB 13 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR APACHE...COCONINO...NORTHERN
GILA...NAVAJO...AND YAVAPAI COUNTIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

AN APPROACHING PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING INCREASINGLY STRONG
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON...WITH GUSTS UP TO 40
MPH POSSIBLE FROM FLAGSTAFF NORTHWESTWARD.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A VIGOROUS PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE STATE
THURSDAY...SPREADING RAIN...SNOW...AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES
ACROSS THE REGION. THE STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT NORTHERN
ARIZONA UNTIL FRIDAY. MOST AREAS ABOVE 6000 FEET FROM THE MOGOLLON
RIM NORTHWARD WILL LIKELY RECIEVE AROUND 3 TO 5 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL...WITH LOCALLY UP TO AROUND 8 INCHES POSSIBLE. BELOW 6000
FEET...ACCUMULATIONS GENERALLY LESS THAN 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.
WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW...AS
WELL AS LOW WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Western Mogollon Rim

When: February 14, 6:00 AM MST to February 15, 9:00 PM MST
Where: Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell over the Western Mogollon Rim. Some of the snowfall totals were: Bellemont 5.8 inches, Flagstaff Airport 6 inches, Hart Prairie 9.0 inches, and Parks 6.0 inches. Area law enforcement responded to 22 non-injury or very minor injury vehicle accidents during and shortly after this storm.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Mogollon Rim

When: February 14, 6:00 AM MST to February 15, 9:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snowfall across the Eastern Mogollon Rim included: Forest Lakes 9.0 inches, Happy Jack 6 to 8 inches, and Heber 12 inches.

Heavy Snow, Northern Gila County

When: February 14, 6:00 AM MST to February 15, 9:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Gila County forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts across Northern Gila County include: Kohls Ranch 8.0 inches and Payson 3.1 inches. Schools in Pine and Strawberry closed for on February 15th because of the snow.

Heavy Snow, White Mountains

When: February 14, 6:00 AM MST to February 15, 9:00 PM MST
Where: White Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Nine inches of new snow fell in Greer.

Heavy Snow, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County

When: February 14, 2:00 PM MST to February 15, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to five inches of snow fell at Meteor Crater.

Heavy Snow, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County

When: February 14, 3:00 PM MST to February 15, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.400, -110.321 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts across the Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County include: Winslow 4 to 8 inches and Holbrook 4.0 inches.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arizona in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, February 2008

Sources

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: 88204, 88205, 88206, 111398, 88208, 88207.