Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 8, 2009

Name: Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 8, 2009
Start: 2009-02-08T00:00
End: 2009-02-08T20:00
Location: Arizona

February 8, 2009 · NWS FGZ · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A vigorous winter storm brought heavy snow to many portions of northern Arizona on February 8.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: 2
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 vigorous winter storm brought heavy snow to many portions of northern Arizona on February 8.

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 7, 8:45 PM MST, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 7, 8:45 PM MST, 3 hours 15 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 7, 7:44 PM MST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Gila County

When: February 8, 12:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Gila County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow started falling around midnight and continued through the day with 8 to 12 inches of snow in the Pine and Strawberry area. Eight to nine inches of snow fell in Tonto Village. There were three rollover collisions on State Route 87 because of the storm and there was one fatality.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Mogollon Rim

When: February 8, 12:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Eight to twelve inches of snow fell between Clints Well and Strawberry. Forest Lakes received 8 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Western Mogollon Rim

When: February 8, 12:00 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where: Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 2 indirect
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Eleven inches of snow fell at the Flagstaff Airport. Eight inches of snow snow fell in Bellemont. Six inches of snow fell in Munds Park. There were several traffic accidents on I-17 and Highway 89 around Flagstaff. Two people from those accidents were transported to the hospital for treatment. There were also 10 reported traffic accidents reported in the City of Flagstaff.

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 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, February 2009

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 149305, 149310, 150227.