A relatively strong and cold weather system impacted southeast Arizona February 21 and 22. This storm resulted in heavy snow across area mountain ranges with locations above 5000 feet receiving one to two and a half feet of snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 TWC wrote it up.
A relatively strong and cold weather system impacted southeast Arizona February 21 and 22. This storm resulted in heavy snow across area mountain ranges with locations above 5000 feet receiving one to two and a half feet of snow. Snow levels dropped to 2000 feet during the morning of the 22nd with snow reports ranging from 2 to 10 inches on the valley floors.
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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 21, 4:24 AM MST, 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 424 AM MST Thu Feb 21 2019 .SYNOPSIS...A major winter storm will result in valley rain and substantial mountain snow starting early Thursday and continuing into Friday night. Dry conditions return over the weekend and persist into the middle of next week. Well below normal daytime temperatures will continue through Saturday, gradually warming to near normal by next Tuesday. && .DISCUSSION...Clouds have increased across the area in advance of a strong upper level trof which extended from central Nevada south to northern Baja California. This feature will be bring a major winter storm for our area today into Friday. Kinda quiet on the radar as of this writing across southeast Arizona with widely scattered showers occurring across western and south central Arizona. Did see some flakes on the Mt. Graham camera in the past hour. The calm before the storm. Showers will be developing through 9 am west of Tucson and gradually increase in areal coverage across the remainder of SE Arizona as the day progresses. Periods of moderate to heavy snow hitting most of the mountain ranges above 7000 feet this afternoon. The exception will be the Chiricahuas as they will have to wait for their periods of heavy snow until this evening. The wind will be gusty out of the south southwest today, with the strongest winds in the mountains and across Cochise county. Douglas may briefly hit advisory type winds for an hour or two later this afternoon. Heavy mountain snow and widespread valley rain this evening into Friday morning with the snow levels lowering down into the 3000 to 3500 foot area. Blizzard like conditions likely in the mountains thanks to 30-50 mph winds. Went ahead and added the lower elevations of Cochise county to the winter storm warning later tonight into Friday. Didn't make many changes to snowfall accumulations with the potential of 2'-4' above 7000 feet and significant snowfall at the lower elevations. Periods of moderate to heavy rains at the lower elevations with storm totals in the valleys of 0.75" to 1.50" and isolated totals approaching 2". This will result in elevated flow. Daytime temperatures will remain well below normal with Friday rather raw with most the lower desert likely not getting out of the 40s. Precipitation to end from west of east Friday night into Saturday morning. Most of the area will be below freezing Saturday morning with hard freeze conditions possible one again for the lower deserts from Tucson west. Dry conditions will prevail across the area Sunday into most of next week as high pressure builds over the area through early next week. This will provide a warming trend with highs around normal by Tuesday and Wednesday. && .AVIATION...Valid through 22/12Z. BKN-OVC clouds AOA 8k-12k ft AGL through the early morning, becoming BKN-OVC 2-6k ft AGL mainly after 21/15Z. Scattered -SHRA is expected mainly from KTUS westward starting around 21/18Z, expanding eastward and becoming more numerous as the day progresses with MVFR conditions likely. Expect -SHRA to continue through the end of the TAF period. Winds will be out of the south/southeast at 8-14 knots through about mid morning then begin to increase. By 21/18Z expect south/southwest winds at 15-25 knots with gusts between 30-35 knots. The highest speeds will be at KOLS and KDUG. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...A significant winter storm arrives later this morning and continues through Friday night with valley rain and heavy mountain snowfall. 20-ft winds will be breezy today, especially this afternoon into tonight as southwesterly winds reach 15-25 mph with gusts to 35 mph. Gusty winds will also be possible Friday afternoon although not as strong as today. Otherwise, once the storm departs, expect dry conditions starting Saturday and continuing into next week with normal diurnal winds. && .CLIMATE...Below are historical 2 and 3-day snowfall totals for Mount Lemmon since 1950. Only 3'+ totals are listed for 2 day events and 4'+ totals for 3 day events. 2 days 49 inches in 1997 (Feb 28 to Mar 1) 46 inches in 1998 (Feb 8-9) 37 inches in 1991 (Mar 1-2) 36 inches in 1998 (Mar 29-30) 36 inches in 1997 (Jan 13-14) 3 days 56 inches in 1997 (Feb 27 to Mar 1) 50 inches in 1998 (Feb 8-10) && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 5 PM MST Friday for AZZ510-511- 513>515. Winter Storm Warning from 11 PM this evening to 5 PM MST Friday for AZZ506>509-512. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow began falling on the morning of February 21st and continued into the 22nd. SNOTEL observations reported 25 at Hannagan Meadow and 21 at Beaver Head.
Snowfall began the morning of February 21st and continued into the 22nd. By the evening of February 21 estimated snowfall totals in the Pinaleno Mountains above 5000 feet were one foot or greater.
Snowfall began the morning of the February 21st and continued into the 22nd. By the morning of February 22 estimated snowfall totals in the Santa Rita, Huachuca, Mule, and Dragoon Mountains above 5000 feet were one foot or greater.
Snowfall began the morning of the February 21st and continued into the 22nd. By the evening of February 21 over a foot of snow had fallen in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Summerhaven reported a storm total of 30.5 inches and Willow Canyon reported 27 inches.
Snowfall began the morning of the February 21st and continued into the 22nd. By the evening of February 21 estimated snowfall totals in the Baboquivari Mountains above 5000 feet were one foot or greater.
Snowfall began in the early evening of February 21st and continued into the 22nd. By the afternoon of February 22 estimated snowfall totals in the Chiricahua Mountains above 5000 feet were one foot or greater.
Snowfall began late in the evening of the February 21st and continued into the 22nd. The Oracle area recorded 11-13 inches of snow by the evening of February 22 with multiple road closures and minor accidents also reported.
Snowfall began late in the evening of February 21st and continued into the 22nd. By the morning of February 22 estimated snowfall totals across the southwest portion of the zone were greater than 3 inches.
Snowfall began late in the evening February 21st and continued into the 22nd. Sonoita received 10, Elgin 9, Sierra Vista 3-4, and Huachuca City 4. There were reports of multiple road closures in Sierra Vista and a crash on I-10 about 7 miles east of Benson which the east-bound closed lanes of I-10 for a couple of hours.
Snowfall began late in the evening February 21st and continued into the 22nd. Dragoon reported 3.5 and Douglas reported 3.
Six to seven inches of snow fell in Patagonia, causing downed tree branches and power lines, and a loss of power for several hours. Snow reports in the Rio Rico area ranged from 2 to 5 inches.
Snowfall began the morning of the February 22nd and continued into the early evening. Green Valley, Vail, and Corona de Tucson reported 3-7 of snow. There was an accident on I-10 eastbound near Vail. There were also multiple accidents along I-19 including a rollover near Duval Mine Road. Snow fell in the city of Tucson for several hours, with visibility reduced to less than a mile at times. While several inches of snow accumulated on non-paved surfaces, city streets remained wet or saw light slush accumulations.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, February 2019
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: 807136, 807137, 807139, 807140, 807141, 807145, 807143, 807146, 807148, 807149, 807400, 807151.