Arizona, 2013

Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 8 to 11, 2013

February 8 to 11, 2013 · NWS FGZ · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

An extremely cold trough of low pressure from the Pacific moved over the western United states for several days. A series of disturbances moved through this trough producing several rounds of heavy snow over northern Arizona.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

An extremely cold trough of low pressure from the Pacific moved over the western United states for several days. A series of disturbances moved through this trough producing several rounds of heavy snow over northern Arizona. Some locations had a brief break in snow fall while other locations only saw periods of heavy snow between lighter periods of snow. This trough will be treated as one episode because of the difficulty in separating the events into different episodes.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Kaibab Plateau

When
February 8, 11:00 PM MST to February 10, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Kaibab Plateau forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thirteen inches of snow fell in Jacob Lake.

Heavy Snow, Western Mogollon Rim

When
February 9, 1:00 AM MST to February 10, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mountainaire and Williams reported 7.5 and 6.8 inches of new snow by 600 PM February 9 with the first round of snow in a series of disturbances moving across northern Arizona. Both locations are between 5000 feet and 7000 feet. By the morning of February 11 the storm moved east and left a blanket of snow across the area. Total snowfall amounts include: Snowbowl Ski Resort 19 inches at 10800 feet and 10 inches at 9000 feet, 18.2 inches 5 miles south of Williams, 11 inches in Williams, 14 inches in Mountainaire, 13.3 inches at the Flagstaff Airport, 10.4 inches in Kachina Village, and 9.2 inches in Bellemont.

Heavy Snow, White Mountains

When
February 9, 3:00 AM MST to February 11, 7:00 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)

Sunrise Ski Resort had 14 inches of snow by 800 AM on February 10. By the time the storm ended, Pinetop-Lakeside had 11.8 inches, Show Low had 10.5 inches, Show Low Airport 7.4 inches, and McNary (2N) had 8.1 inches.

Heavy Snow, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County

When
February 9, 5:00 AM MST to February 11, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A weather spotter in Vernon reported 10 inches of snow from this storm.

Heavy Snow, Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons

When
February 9, 5:00 AM MST to February 10, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.220, -112.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Eleven inches of snow was reported in upper Oak Creek Canyon.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Mogollon Rim

When
February 9, 10:00 AM MST to February 11, 5:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Happy Jack Ranger Station reported a storm total of 24 inches of new snow, Forest Lakes had 15 inches, and Clints Well reported 10 inches, Linden (2ESE) had 16 inches.

Heavy Snow, Northern Gila County

When
February 9, 11:00 AM MST to February 11, 5:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Gila County forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell across northern Gila County with the lower elevations reaching heavy snow criteria sooner than higher elevations. Snowfall totals include (in inches): Whispering Pines 20, Tonto Village 16, Pine (5800 feet) 10, Payson (14 NNE) 12, Tonto Natural Bridge 9.2, and Payson (4900 feet) 7.9.

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

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, February 2013

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: 436859, 436301, 436855, 436857, 436858, 436838, 436841.