Heavy Snow and Frost and Freeze in Arizona, January 1, 2015

Name: Heavy Snow and Frost and Freeze in Arizona, January 1, 2015
Start: 2015-01-01T00:00
End: 2015-01-01T19:00
Location: Arizona

January 1, 2015 · NWS VEF · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

A very cold storm system brought rare low elevation snow to the Mojave Desert. The event began in December 2014.

Where it happened

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.

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: $60,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 VEF wrote it up.

A very cold storm system brought rare low elevation snow to the Mojave Desert. The event began in December 2014.

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 Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 3:25 PM MST, 8 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 3:25 PM MST, 8 hours 35 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, 2 frost/freeze, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northwest Deserts

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to 8:00 AM MST
Where: Northwest Deserts forecast zone
Reported by: County Official

The majority of this event occurred in December 2014, and the details can be found there.

Heavy Snow, Lake Mead National Recreation Area

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where: Lake Mead National Recreation Area forecast zone
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

The majority of this event occurred in December 2014, and the details can be found there.

Winter Weather, Northwest Plateau

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to 9:00 AM MST
Where: Northwest Plateau forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.704, -113.758 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The majority of this event occurred in December 2014, and the details can be found there.

Frost/Freeze, Northwest Deserts

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Northwest Deserts forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Freezing temperatures resulted in one burst pipe in a home in Kingman, and several in Wikieup.

Frost/Freeze, Lake Mead National Recreation Area

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Lake Mead National Recreation Area forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Freezing temperatures resulted in one burst pipe in a home in Oatman.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Frost/Freeze: Frost or temperatures at or below freezing during the growing season, usually filed for crop damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arizona in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, January 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 551761, 551762, 551763, 551764, 551765.