A vigorous upper level low moved onto the West Coast around the Monterey Bay area. This brought southerly winds gusting from 40 to 50 mph across much northern Arizona.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 vigorous upper level low moved onto the West Coast around the Monterey Bay area. This brought southerly winds gusting from 40 to 50 mph across much northern Arizona. Heavy precipitation was observed in the frontal band as it moved across the state.
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 Mar 30, 10:25 AM MST, 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 1025 AM MST Sat Mar 30 2024 .SYNOPSIS...A potent Pacific storm will deliver high country snowfall and valley rainfall Saturday evening through Monday. Gusty southwest winds will subside with the onset of the precipitation. Warmer and drier conditions are forecast by the middle of next week. && .UPDATE...Breezy south winds are developing this morning with gusts reaching into the 35 to 45 mph range already. Expect these gusts to become more widespread this morning and increase a bit more this afternoon in advance of our approaching storm system. The deep low can be seen spinning off the coast of central California this morning, spreading moderate to heavy rain across southern California. Conditions should remain dry for Arizona until later this evening with precipitation chances developing over far western Coconino County by 5 PM. This is a strong frontal band and is forecast to drop significant precipitation accumulations across northern Arizona tonight. Morning guidance so far is hinting that even higher snowfall accumulations are possible in the Flagstaff area so stay tuned for updates this afternoon. && .PREV DISCUSSION /513 AM MST/...All eyes on the deep upper low west of San Francisco this morning, with a robust cold front stretching through western Nevada to near Los Angeles. This low will dive toward San Diego today, filling a bit and fracturing into two lobes as it does. This will not stop the progression of the cold front, but it will weaken as it moves eastward, likely peaking over western and central Arizona tonight. A cold and highly unstable airmass trails the front for late Sunday into Monday, with some strong convection possible over our southern zones. Let's get into some details... Ahead of the cold front, vigorous southwest gradients continue today and through most of the tonight. Many sites have at least partially decoupled overnight, but we will start to mix early this morning with a very wind day expected. Winds continue into the evening but we will expire the current Wind Advisory right as areas of rain and snow move into the picture, with the Winter Weather Advisory then taking precedence. The cold front then moves into the western CWA around sunset and moves toward the I-17 corridor a bit after Midnight MST and marches eastward through Sunday morning. The front loses some of its punch as it moves eastward, especially as it reaches the White Mountains. However, our western/central zones, especially the notorious I-17 corridor, will see a few prolific hours of rain and snowfall in the overnight hours tonight. There is a pronounced dry slot behind the front and precipitation should end quickly, with several hours elapsing before convective showers develop. There are some temperature profile issues tonight. The initial airmass is fairly warm and this will limit some snow accumulation. Steep lapse rates within the cold front also indicate that areas of heavier, frozen precipitation may be ice pellets and graupel, not fluffy dendrites. We took accumulations down a bit due to these factors and transitioned the Winter Storm Watch into a Winter Weather Advisory. Important note, the Winter Weather Advisory mostly deals with the frontal precipitation event, not the following convective showers for Sunday night and Monday. This will have to be watched as the location and strength of these showers may necessitate extending some of the segments as we head into Sunday afternoon. Lingering convection Tuesday will be isolated and the temperatures will warm, with at least a few days of ridging then following that. Possible troughiness looms again for next weekend, but let's deal with this one for now. && .AVIATION...Saturday 30/18Z through Sunday 31/18Z...VFR conditions will remain through 03Z, before decreasing ceilings/visibilities become likely with SHRA/SHSN increasing west to east. MVFR/IFR/LIFR conditions anticipated between 03Z-15Z. Prior to showers overnight/tomorrow morning, expect widespread winds gusting 35-45kts. By 12Z, gusty winds will become limited to eastern AZ and near stronger storm cells. OUTLOOK...Sunday 31/18Z through Tuesday 02/18Z...SHRA/SHSN will continue through much of the outlook period, keeping MVFR/IFR condition around through at least 00Z Tuesday. A gradual improvement of conditions is expected throughout Tuesday, with isolated showers remaining near the White Mountains. Look for SW winds 10-20 kts Sunday, W-NW winds of 5-15 kts Monday, and northerly winds on Tuesday. && .FIRE WEATHER...Today and Sunday...Strong south-southwest winds will gust at 35 to 50 mph today. Minimum RH values will be in the teens for portions of the Little Colorado River Valley and Navajo Nation. Expect widespread rain and snow beginning this evening from west to east, continuing through Sunday. Winds weaken Sunday while humidity values increase substantially. Monday through Wednesday...Rain and snow showers continue Monday with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Westerly winds at 10 to 20 mph Monday shift to northerly by Tuesday. Showers linger on Tuesday near the White Mountains with warmer and drier conditions elsewhere. Conditions will continue to improve Wednesday. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 8 PM MST /9 PM MDT/ this evening for AZZ004- 006-007-009-011>017-039-040. Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM MST /9 PM MDT/ this evening to 8 AM MST /9 AM MDT/ Sunday for AZZ004-006-007-015. Wind Advisory until 8 PM MST /9 PM MDT/ this evening for AZZ005- 008-010-018-037-038. Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to 5 PM MST Sunday for AZZ016. Winter Weather Advisory from noon Sunday to noon MST Monday for AZZ017. && PUBLIC...MCT/Peterson AVIATION...Konieczny FIRE WEATHER...JM For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The peak wind gust at the Show Low Airport was 60 MPH at 1055 AM.
The Springerville Airport reported a peak wind gust of 67 MPH at 315 PM. Sustained winds were 40 MPH or higher from 1215 PM to 400 PM. Wind gusts of 58 MPH or higher were reported from 1230 PM until 345 PM.
The Grand Canyon Airport reported a peak wind gust of 61 MPH at 307 PM.
Heavy snow fell across the Western Mogollon Rim. The top reports were 8.9 to 12 inches in the Parks area and 8.5 near Hart Prairie.
Heavy snow fell across the Western Mogollon Rim. The top reports were 8.9 to 12 inches in the Parks area and 8.5 near Hart Prairie.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, March 2024
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: 1173863, 1173860, 1173862, 1173858, 1173859.