A second winter storm in less than a week brought heavy snow across northern Arizona and even to the lower elevations. The snow began to increase from this second storm Sunday evening January 24.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 second winter storm in less than a week brought heavy snow across northern Arizona and even to the lower elevations. The snow began to increase from this second storm Sunday evening January 24. Some of the storm totals were: |NWS Office Bellemont 31.6 in.|Flagstaff 12-20 in.|Forest Lakes 34-40 in.|Kachina Village 30-35 in.|Munds Park 24-28 in.|Parks 20-28 in. |Williams 15-25 in. |Payson 22-28 in. |Pine-Strawberry 18-24 in. |Heber-Overgaard 10-14 in. |Linden 11-14 in.|Pinetop-Lakeside 15-25 in. |Show Low 12-20 in. |Chino Valley 12-16 in.|Cleator 4 in. |Cordes Lakes 6 in.|Dewey-Humboldt 10-12 in.|Iron Springs 20-26 in.|Jerome 11-19 in.|Paulden 10 in. |Prescott 12-20 in. |Prescott Valley 10-14 in. |Sedona 6-8 in.
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 Jan 24, 2:33 PM MST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 233 PM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 .SYNOPSIS...Expect periods of rain and snow through Tuesday. Widespread heavy snow is expected Monday and Monday night with significant snow accumulations even in the lower elevations. Snow levels will continue to lower over the next couple days, reaching 2000 feet by Monday night. This will be an extended period of winter weather with extremely difficult travel conditions. Behind the system, expect very cold low temperatures Wednesday morning. && .DISCUSSION...High confidence in a dangerous winter storm headed to northern Arizona early Monday through Tuesday afternoon. Travel will become difficult to near impossible. Please delay any travel if at all possible. For tonight, upslope shower activity will persist as the trough from our first system exits into New Mexico. Snow levels will generally hover around 4000-4500 feet. Additional snow accumulation will generally be in the 2-4 inch range, but locally higher amounts up to 6 inches will be possible along the eastern Mogollon Rim and into the White Mountains. Travel will remain treacherous, especially across the high terrain. A high-impact winter storm will cross the state Monday into Tuesday, bringing heavy snow accumulations as low as 4000 feet. Additionally, a tightening pressure gradient will result in widespread southwesterly wind gusts of 25-35 mph, leading to extensive blowing and drifting snow. The heaviest period of precipitation is likely to occur late Monday morning through the early evening hours where snowfall rates of 2-3 inches per hour are likely. Whiteout conditions due to the heavy snowfall rates and gusty winds will create near impossible travel conditions. As the system draws near, snow levels will fall to as low as 2000 feet by late Monday night. Snowfall amounts are unchanged with this forecast package, generally 1-2 feet in many locations. Some areas especially along the eastern Mogollon Rim could see up to 3 feet by the time the system departs Tuesday evening. Again, travel is highly discouraged over the next 48 hours as this will be a dangerous situation. Behind the system, fresh snow cover and a drier airmass moving into the area will result in very cold low temperatures Wednesday morning. Below zero readings are likely across our colder high elevation locations with a wide swath of single digits elsewhere. Well below normal daytime temperatures Wednesday will give way to moderating highs through Friday. Another system may cross the region late Friday into Saturday. At this time, it looks to be a quick mover but could produce light snow accumulations across the high terrain. && .AVIATION...For the 00Z package...Rain and snow showers will continue through the TAF period, becoming heavy on Monday. Snow levels will lower from 4500 feet to 3500 feet by Monday afternoon. Widespread MVFR and IFR conditions are expected to continue. LIFR conditions currently over the high terrain will spread to the lower elevations on Monday with arrival of another winter storm. Peaks and ridges will be obscured in most locations beginning late tonight through Monday. South to southwest winds will increase to 10-20 kts with gusts to 30 kts by midday Monday. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER....A major winter storm will begin early Monday, bringing heavy snow, breezy to gusty southwest winds and very low snow levels. The winter storm will gradually exit the area Tuesday with decreasing shower chances. Wednesday through Friday...Expect very cold morning temperatures Wednesday and Thursday. Another weather system may impact the area beginning later Friday. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM Monday to 11 AM MST Tuesday FOR AZZ004-006>008-015-016-018-037-038. Winter Weather Advisory from 5 PM Monday to 11 AM MST Tuesday FOR AZZ010-011-039-040. Winter Weather Advisory until 8 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ017. Winter Storm Warning from 11 AM Monday to 5 PM MST Tuesday FOR AZZ017. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 AM MST Monday FOR AZZ008-015-016. && PUBLIC...TPS AVIATION...TPS FIRE WEATHER...TPS For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1133 AM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 AM SNOW FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT 35.14N 111.67W
01/24/2021 E8.4 INCH COCONINO AZ PUBLIC
8.4 INCHES OF NEW SNOW SINCE 5 PM. 13 INCHES
OF SNOW ON THE GROUND.
&&
MASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1233 PM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 PM SNOW FORT DEFIANCE 35.74N 109.07W
01/24/2021 E2.5 INCH APACHE AZ PUBLIC
2.5 INCHES IN FT DEFIANCE AT NOON. ALREADY
MELTING.
&&
MASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1244 PM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1242 PM SNOW VERNON 34.26N 109.69W
01/24/2021 E5.0 INCH APACHE AZ PUBLIC
FIVE INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN VERNON SINCE 4
AM. STILL SNOWING AT AROUND 7,000 FEET
ELEVATION.
&&
MASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
145 PM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1216 PM SNOW 1 SW WILLIAMS 35.25N 112.19W
01/24/2021 M6.5 INCH COCONINO AZ PUBLIC
MEASURED IN VARIOUS PLACES IN WILLIAMS
PROPER. SNOW STARTED OFF-AND-ON AT 10 P.M.
LAST NIGHT. HEAVY SNOWFALL BY AT LEAST 7
A.M. THIS MORNING. SNOW STOPPED AT ABOUT
9:45 A.M. THIS MORNING AND SUN CAME OUT AND
WE HAVE BEEN UNDER PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES UNTIL
NOW.
&&
TPSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
146 PM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW 1 S PAULDEN 34.87N 112.46W
01/24/2021 M3.0 INCH YAVAPAI AZ PUBLIC
SNOW FELL FROM MIDNIGHT TO 9AM.
&&
TPSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
302 PM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW 1 NE MUNDS PARK 34.95N 111.63W
01/24/2021 E9.5 INCH COCONINO AZ PUBLIC
9 1/2 IN N.E. MUNDS PARK.
&&
MASThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Pinetop-Lakeside received 9.5 inches of snow between 430 PM Sunday and 9 PM Monday. Five of those inches fell between 4 PM and 9 PM on the 25th. Eighteen inches of snow was on the ground by 900 PM on the 25th.
Eighteen inches of snow fell at 5,800 feet elevation in 20 hours three miles southwest of Prescott.
Eleven inches of snow fell from Midnight to 430 PM on January 25 in Kachina Village. Fourteen inches of snow fell in West Flagstaff by 2 PM on January 25.
Ten inches of snow fell 4 miles north of Ash Fork from the evening of 24 January to the evening of 25 January.
Three more inches of snow fell in Forest Lakes on January 26. The two storm snowfall was 47 inches.
Up to nine inches of snow fell in Window Rock.
Seven inches of snow fell in Meyer at 4,400 feet by the evening of January 25. Camp Verde received 3.7 inches of snow at an elevation of 3,100 feet from midnight to 6 AM on January 26.
Seven to 9 inches of snow fell in Payson. Eleven inches of snow fell in Pine between 5 AM and 430 PM. There was already 5 inches already on the ground at 500 AM.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, January 2021
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: 938350, 938342, 938345, 938348, 938355, 940095, 938347, 938346.