A strong cold front brought high winds to parts of northern Arizona.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.
A strong cold front brought high winds to parts of northern Arizona.
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 18, 9:52 PM MST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 952 PM MST Sun Feb 18 2018 .SYNOPSIS...Expect very windy and colder conditions with areas of rain and snow starting tonight and lasting through Tuesday. Drier, but cool weather arrives Wednesday and Thursday, with a chance of rain and snow again by the end of the week. && .UPDATE...Winds continue to increase this evening as a cold front approaches northern Arizona from the northwest. The front currently stretches from near Las Angeles, north of Desert Rock, to just south of Salt Lake City. Surface dewpoints are mostly in the 30s across northern Arizona (Page is 25F). A few showers have developed over southeast Arizona...from around Tucson eastward. The 00Z KFGZ sounding showed a relatively shallow layer of moisture with only a PWat of 0.21 inch. Will monitor situation... we may need to update forecast to delay the onset of precipitation and lower amounts. && .PREV DISCUSSION /342 PM MST/...A potent winter storm will bring significant snow and wind to northern Arizona over the next 36 hours. The high wind watch previously in effect Monday for northeast Arizona has been upgraded to a warning with gusts between 60-70 mph possible in this portion of the state. Much of the remainder of the area will experience gusts of 40-50 mph tonight and into Monday. Latest snowfall guidance continues to support significant snowfall mainly at the higher elevations as upslope flow generates precipitation focused over the higher terrain. The eastern Mogollon Rim and White Mountains are expected to receive the heaviest snowfall with this system where some areas could receive between 12-18 inches. Precipitation is expected to diminish rapidly behind the front Monday evening and into the overnight hours, lingering in the White Mountains until early Tuesday. Very cold temperatures are expected behind the system Tuesday and Wednesday with some below zero low temperature readings possible in the higher terrain with fresh snowpack. A cold and unsettled weather pattern continues late in the week with another storm system potentially affecting the area late Thursday into Friday. There remains model disagreement on the evolution of this system, but the potential exists for another round of showers and windy conditions. This could be followed by another weaker system late in the weekend. The bottom line is this is an active weather pattern so stay tuned to the forecast through the coming week. && .AVIATION...For the 06Z Package...Gusty southwest winds will persist and strengthen overnight through Monday afternoon. Sustained wind speeds of 20-30 kts with gusts of 35-45 kts. Stronger gusts of 50-55 kt are expected Monday north and east of KFLG. MVFR cigs will become widespread along the higher terrain from KFLG southeast this evening, with scattered showers developing. After 06Z, showers will increase in coverage and intensity with localized IFR conditions above 6kft MSL due to snowfall and areas of blowing snow. These conditions will persist through 02z Tue especially from KFLG southeast, then linger through 06Z near the White Mountains. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Gusty southwest winds will persist through much of Monday as a strong cold front crosses the region. The strongest winds tonight will be along and north of the Mogollon Rim, where wind gusts as high as 50 mph are expected. On Monday, the strongest winds will occur east of Flagstaff, where wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph are expected. In addition, rain and high elevation snow showers will accompany the front with accumulating snow above 6,000 to 6,500 feet through Monday. Chances for snow showers linger into Tuesday. Wednesday through Friday...Below normal temperatures will continue through the second half of the week. Another storm system will bring increased winds and a chance of showers Thursday into Friday. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Wind Advisory until 5 PM MST Monday FOR AZZ006>008-038. High Wind Warning from 7 AM to 5 PM MST Monday FOR AZZ005- 009>014-039-040. Wind Advisory until 7 AM MST Monday FOR AZZ005-009>014-039-040. Wind Advisory until midnight MST tonight FOR AZZ004-015>017. Winter Storm Warning until 5 AM MST Tuesday FOR AZZ016-017. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST Monday FOR AZZ004-015. && PUBLIC...MAS/DL AVIATION...JJ FIRE WEATHER...TPS For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The wind gusted over 60 MPH from around midnight until after 630 AM. The peak wind gust was 75 MPH at 619 AM.
The wind sensor at Two Guns had wind gusts over 58 MPH from around 440 to 640 AM MST. The peak wind gust was 64 MPH at 515 AM MST.
The wind sensor at Limestone Canyon reported wind gusts above 58 MPH between 630 to around 1130 AM. The peak wind gust was 64 MPH at 924 MPH.
A trained spotter reported a peak wind gust of 61 MPH three miles south of Prescott Valley.
St Johns Airport reported wind gusts of 58 MPH or higher from 1245 PM to 200 PM. The peak wind gust was 63 MPH at 1254 PM. Petrified Forest National Monument reported a peak wind gust of 60 MPH at 1223 PM. The wind sensor in Lupton reported a peak wind gust of 65 MPH at 0343 PM. The peak wind gust at Springerville Airport was 72 MPH at 1120 AM.
The Flagstaff Airport ASOS reported a peak wind gust of 59 MPH wind at 11:18 AM. Several ponderosa pine trees were blown over in Sunset Crater National Monument. A local ski resort (9,000 to 11,500 feet) was closed all day because of the high winds.
The wind sensor in Kykotsmovi Village reported a peak wind gust of 63 MPH at 1213 PM.
The wind sensor in Kykotsmovi Village reported a peak wind gust of 63 MPH at 1213 PM.
The Winslow ASOS reported wind gusts over 58 MPH between 140 PM to 310 PM. The peak wind gust was 64 MPH at 305 PM. Petrified Forest National Monument reported a peak wind gust of 60 MPH at 1223 PM.
A wind sensor in Heber-Overgaard reported a 72 MPH wind gust at 213 PM.
The Window Rock ASOS reported wind gusts over 58 MPH from around 330 PM to 420 PM. The peak wind gust was 62 MPH at 410 PM.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, February 2018
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: 735201, 735203, 735204, 735198, 735224, 735208, 735232, 735233, 735205, 735234, 735225.