Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 1 to 2, 2023

Name: Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 1 to 2, 2023
Start: 2023-03-01T00:00
End: 2023-03-02T19:00
Location: Arizona

March 1 to 2, 2023 · NWS FGZ · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A major winter storm impacted northern and central Arizona March 1 and 2. The main trough moved southward along the West Coast to southern California then moved across central Arizona.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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 FGZ wrote it up.

A major winter storm impacted northern and central Arizona March 1 and 2. The main trough moved southward along the West Coast to southern California then moved across central Arizona. This track gave northern Arizona substantial snow and lower elevation rain.

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 Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 28, 2:38 PM MST, 9 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 2:38 PM MST, 9 hours 22 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

13 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Western Mogollon Rim

When: March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow started to fall around the Flagstaff area around midnight on March 1. The snow fell for over 30 hours. The most snow was 33 inches 3 miles N-NE of Parks. Other reports include (in inches): Downtown Flagstaff 31, Kachina Village 30.0, Mountainaire 26, Flagstaff Airport 24.5, Munds Park 23.8, Williams 23.0, Bellemont (NWS Flagstaff) 22.0, and 18 inches of snow fell in Timberline.

Heavy Snow, Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons

When: March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 2, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.220, -112.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sedona received 9 to 11 inches of snow at elevations below 5000 feet (Heavy snow criteria is only 4 inches at that elevation).

Heavy Snow, Grand Canyon Country

When: March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 2, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Grand Canyon Country forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Nine inches of snow was reported at the Desert View Watchtower by 900 AM on March first. Sixteen inches of snow fell at The Grand Canyon South Rim.

Heavy Snow, Coconino Plateau

When: March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 2, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Coconino Plateau forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A foot of new snow was reported 4 miles southeast of Valle and 4 miles north of Seligman. Ten inches of snow fell in Seligman. Nine inches of new snow was reported 5 miles N-NW of Ash Fork. Sixteen inches of new snow fell 10 miles E-NE of Seligman.

Heavy Snow, Kaibab Plateau

When: March 1, 1:00 AM MST to March 2, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Kaibab Plateau forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Fredonia received five inches of snow at around 4,700 feet elevation by 800 AM.

Heavy Snow, Yavapai County Mountains

When: March 1, 2:00 AM MST to March 2, 1:00 PM MST
Where: Yavapai County Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.600, -112.554 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The mountains of Yavapai County (above 5,000 feet) received heavy snow. The Prescott area reported 8 to 15 inches of snow. The Iron Springs area received 11 inches of snow. Eight inches of snow fell 7 miles W-SW of Chino Valley at 5,100 feet. Nine inches of snow fell 10 miles west of Ash Fork. Ten inches of snow fell in Seligman. Just over 11 inches (11.4 inches) was reported W-SW of Cherry at 5,200 feet. Ponderosa Park (3 miles east) reported 13 inches of new snow. Mingus West received 8 inches of snow. A foot of new snow fell 10 miles south of Ash Fort at an elevation of 5,280 feet.

Heavy Snow, Chinle Valley

When: March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Chinle Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Kayenta received 12 inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Black Mesa Area

When: March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Black Mesa Area forecast zone
Reported by: Tribal Official
Coordinates: 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Black Mesa Chapter House received 12 inches of snow. Inscription Chapter House received 10 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas From Highway 264 North

When: March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Northeast Plateaus and Mesas From Highway 264 North forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Pinon area received 6 to 12 inches of snow. Eight inches of new snow fell in Hardrock.

Heavy Snow, Northern Gila County

When: March 1, 5:00 AM MST to March 2, 4:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Gila County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Washington Park at 6,000 feet northeast of Payson received 19 inches of snow. Pine received 9 inches of snow. Five inches of snow fell in Payson right at the 5,000 foot level. Thirteen inches of snow fell 4 miles NW of Tonto Village at 5,800 feet.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Mogollon Rim

When: March 1, 5:00 AM MST to March 2, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Eastern Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sixteen inches of new snow was reported in Forest Lakes.

Heavy Snow, Yavapai County Valleys and Basins

When: March 1, 6:00 AM MST to March 2, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Yavapai County Valleys and Basins forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.600, -112.554 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The lower elevations of Yavapai County (less than 5,000 feet) generally received four to six inches of snow. A spotter near Cornville at an elevation of less than 3,400 feet reported 16 inches of new snow. The Paulden area received 4.7 inches of snow at 4,400 feet elevation. Five inches of snow fell at 4,300 feet 4 miles S-SW of Cottonwood. Just over 4 inches (4.3) fell in the Dewey-Humboldt area and in Chino Valley. Clarkdale received 4 inches of snow at 3,400 feet elevation. Four and a half inches of snow fell in Cordes Junction at around 3,700 feet. A foot of snow fell in Yarnell at 4,800 feet. Eight and a half inches of snow fell 5 miles N-NW of Paulden at 4,750 feet. Five inches of snow and ice (4/1) was reported in Peeples Valley.

Heavy Snow, White Mountains

When: March 1, 7:00 PM MST to March 2, 7:00 PM MST
Where: White Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A foot of snow fell in Pinetop-Lakeside area.

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 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, March 2023

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: 1085408, 1086021, 1086049, 1086068, 1086031, 1085409, 1086015, 1086016, 1086017, 1085411, 1086278, 1085410, 1086076.