Arizona, 2015

Heavy Snow and Heavy Rain in Arizona, February 27 to 28, 2015

February 27 to 28, 2015 · NWS FGZ · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A strong and moist Pacific storm system moved across northern Arizona for four days. This produced heavy to very heavy rain and snow across the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
0
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 strong and moist Pacific storm system moved across northern Arizona for four days. This produced heavy to very heavy rain and snow across the area. Snow and rain started falling on February 27 and continued through March 2. Snow from this storm system went on to trigger several avalanches in the mountain peaks above 11,500 feet just north of Flagstaff in March.

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 27, 9:58 AM MST, 3 hours 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 27, 9:58 AM MST, 3 hours 2 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 27, 4:32 AM MST, 8 hours 28 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

2 heavy snow, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Gila

When
February 27, 1:00 PM MST to February 28, 1:00 PM MST
Where
Gila County, Rye to 15 mi NE of Payson
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.100, -111.350

Between 1.50 and 1.55 inches of rain fell over portions of Northern Gila County northeast of Payson. Pine received 1.26 inches of rain. East Verde River was running high...but not flooding.

Heavy Snow, Black Mesa Area

When
February 27, 4:00 PM MST to 11:50 PM MST
Where
Black Mesa Area forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Twelve inches of snow fell in Tsaile by midnight on February 27. It was falling at the rate of 3 inches an hour at times.

Heavy Snow, Chinle Valley

When
February 27, 6:00 PM MST to February 28, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Chinle Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six to eight inches of snow fell overnight on the 27th and during the morning hours of the 28th in Kayenta. It was still snowing at noon.

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, February 2015

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: 564158, 564171, 564506.