Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 21 to 22, 2019

Name: Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 21 to 22, 2019
Start: 2019-02-21T18:00
End: 2019-02-22T20:00
Location: Arizona

February 21 to 22, 2019 · NWS PSR · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: $55,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 PSR wrote it up.

A large and slow moving low pressure system moved across Arizona from Wednesday February 20th through Friday February 22nd. The system was very cold, and snow levels dropped to near 2000 feet across south-central Arizona, including the greater Phoenix area, overnight on the 21st. In addition to being a cold system, it was rather wet, and resulted in widespread moderate desert rains, and periods of moderate to heavy snow across the high terrain north and east of central Phoenix. Snowfall in excess of 8 to 10 inches fell over many locations across the higher terrain east of Phoenix, including the Globe area; at 0825MST public reports were received of nearly 15 inches of new snow at Top of the World between Globe and Superior. About one hour earlier, the Arizona Department of Highways reported 8 inches of new snow 5 miles southwest of Miami; the snow resulted in the closure of highway 60 between Globe and Miami. Heavy snow also fell on the northern and eastern fringes of the greater Phoenix area; at 0749MST on the 22nd the public reported 12 inches of new snow near Tonto Hills at about 3000 feet in elevation. Heavy snow up to 9 inches also was reported in locations such as Fountain Hills, north Scottsdale and Carefree. At 2200MST on the 21st, heavy snow up to 8 inches deep resulted in 50 thousand dollars in damage to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in northeast Scottsdale, about 9 miles north of Fountain Hills. A Winter Storm Warning was in effect for more than 2 days for elevations above 3000 feet north and east of Phoenix. There were no reports of accidents or injuries due to the heavy snow, fortunately.

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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 21, 4:06 PM MST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 4:06 PM MST, 1 hour 54 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 21, 1:17 PM MST, 4 hours 43 minutes before

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Local storm report, Feb 21, 1:20 PM MST, 4 hours 40 minutes before

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Local storm report, Feb 21, 1:30 PM MST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

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Local storm report, Feb 21, 1:37 PM MST, 4 hours 23 minutes before

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Local storm report, Feb 21, 1:41 PM MST, 4 hours 19 minutes before

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Local storm report, Feb 21, 3:57 PM MST, 2 hours 3 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

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Cave Creek/New River

When: February 21, 6:00 PM MST to February 22, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Cave Creek/New River forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 33.349, -112.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large, wet and cold winter weather system slowly moved east across Arizona in mid February; the storm dumped locally heavy snow across the high terrain east of Phoenix starting in the late afternoon on February 21st and continuing into the morning hours on Friday February 22nd. Heavy snow met warning criteria as early as 2200MST on the evening of the 21st; by that time up to 8 inches of new snow had caused 50 thousand dollars in damage to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in northeast Scottsdale, about 9 miles to the north of Fountain Hills. The damage was most likely roof damage due to the heavy snow resting on it. At 0837MST on the 22nd, the public reported 9 inches of new snow near Pinnacle Peak, and at 0727MST the public reported at least 8 inches of snow in northeast Scottsdale, about 10 miles north of Fountain Hills. This report was received via social media. A Winter Storm Warning was in effect at the time of the heavy snow and no accidents or injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, New River Mesa

When: February 21, 6:00 PM MST to February 22, 8:00 PM MST
Where: New River Mesa forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 33.349, -112.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large, wet and cold winter weather system sluggishly moved east across Arizona, bringing locally heavy snowfall to higher terrain areas northeast of Phoenix starting in the later afternoon on February 21st and continuing into the morning hours on Friday February 22nd. As of 0745MST on the 22nd, the public reported that 12 inches of new snow had fallen near Tonto Hills, about 6 miles northeast of Carefree. The heavy snow fell at an elevation of about 3000 feet. A Winter Storm Warning was in effect at the time of the heavy snow. No accidents or injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Globe/Miami

When: February 21, 6:00 PM MST to February 22, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Globe/Miami forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large, wet and cold winter weather system moved sluggishly east across Arizona, bringing very heavy snowfall to the higher terrain areas east of Phoenix, including the Globe/Miami area. Heavy snow began falling during the afternoon and evening hours on February 21st and continued into the morning hours on February 22nd. At 0846MST on the 22nd, a member of the public reported 10 inches of fresh snow in the foothills about 3 miles northeast of Globe. At 0736MST, the Arizona Department of Highways indicated that 8 inches of new snow overnight resulted in the closure of U.S. Highway 60 in both directions from Globe to Miami. Additionally, the highway was closed in the eastbound direction from Superior to Globe. A Winter Storm Warning was in effect at the time of the heavy snow. Fortunately there were no accidents or injuries reported.

Heavy Snow, Pinal/Superstition Mountains

When: February 21, 6:00 PM MST to February 22, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Pinal/Superstition Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 33.351, -111.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large, wet and cold winter weather system moved sluggishly east across Arizona in mid February, bringing locally heavy snow to the higher terrain east of Phoenix beginning in the afternoon and evening hours on February 21st and continuing into the morning hours on February 22nd. Heavy snow totals easily exceeded warning thresholds; at 0825MST on the 22nd a report from the public indicated that 15 inches of new snow had fallen overnight at the Top of the World located between Globe and Superior. Pictures taken in the area supported at least one foot of new snow. A Winter Storm Warning had been in effect at the time of the heavy snow, and no accidents or injuries were reported despite very hazardous winter driving conditions.

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 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, February 2019

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 802447, 802449, 802451, 802452.