Arizona, 2025Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 13 to 14, 2025
March 13 to 14, 2025 · NWS FGZ · 4 events in 3 counties and zones
The first of two back to back winter storms moved in on March 13th and left on March 14th. This was marked by an intense band of snow that was short lived, but dropped quite a bit of snow.
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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 5
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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.
The first of two back to back winter storms moved in on March 13th and left on March 14th. This was marked by an intense band of snow that was short lived, but dropped quite a bit of snow. This created travel problems including a large traffic pile up on Interstate 40 near Williams.
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 Mar 13, 9:30 AM MST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 13, 9:30 AM MST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ
930 AM MST Thu Mar 13 2025
.SYNOPSIS...A strong winter storm will bring areas of moderate to
heavy snow above 5000 feet later today and this evening. After a
break late tonight, a period of light snowfall develops again Friday
afternoon and evening. Then, a warming trend and dry weather
develops for the weekend.
&&
.UPDATE...No changes have been made to the current forecast
package. Frontal band is now starting to make its way into far
northeastern Arizona and a few light mainly upslope rain showers
are being seen along the Rim. Winds have picked up and already
sustained 20-25 mph gusting to 35 mph across most of the area so
our Wind Advisory is right on track. Our Winter Storm Warnings
will kick in at noon, so any travel after that time period should
be seriously scrutinized as road conditions will go from good to
bad in a very short time once this frontal band reaches us.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION /410 AM MST/...A deep and cold trough off the California coastline
this morning will dive into Arizona later today, briefly becoming
negatively tilted late this afternoon. Strong frontogenetic forcing
accompanies the trough passage, peaking in the Flagstaff area around
rush hour, before racing eastward in the evening. This is a great
scenario for heavy snowfall in our area, the trough moves fairly
fast, or we would have a real problem on our hands. Nonetheless, we
expect roughly 8-12 inches of snow with the trough passage and snow
levels plummet below 4000 feet behind the front, bringing travel
impacts to a large areas of of our CWA. Compounding the issue will
be high winds over much of the areas, causing some blowing and
drifting snow.
A variety of Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings
have been posted, along with a Wind Advisory. This all looks good
and no headline changes were made.
A trailing s/wv moves through Friday afternoon and evening, this
will also be an efficient snow maker, as a very cold air mass is
already in place and saturation will be easy. We have boosted snow
amounts for the trailing system, we may need additional headlines in
the high country, but none for now.
A ridge develops for the weekend, for another warming trend and dry
weather. Another s/wv may bring more snow and wind to the region on
Tuesday, but model consistency is poor at this time. Stay tuned.
&&
.AVIATION...Thursday 13/12Z through Friday 14/12Z...VFR/MVFR
ceilings continue across much of the higher terrain. RA/SN chances
will gradually increase west to east through the TAF period.
Expect periods of widespread MVFR/IFR and local LIFR conditions
between 18Z-06Z, but reduced visibilities and ceilings could
occur outside this timeframe. S-SW winds 10-20 kts forecast
through 18Z, with gusts 30-40 kts possible afterwards.
OUTLOOK...Friday 14/12Z through Sunday 16/12Z...Additional
SHRA/SHSN expected between 12Z Friday and 00Z Sunday. This will
result in continued MVFR/IFR conditions across the area, with
periods of localized LIFR possible. Improving conditions
anticipated after 00Z Sunday. Look for W-SW winds 10-20 kts on
Friday, becoming NW on Saturday.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Today and Friday...A winter storm will impact much
of central/northern Arizona today and Friday. Expect widespread rain
and snow, with greatest snow accumulations above 6000 feet. Look for
southwest winds gusting 30 to 50 mph today, becoming more westerly
10 to 20 mph on Friday.
Saturday through Monday...Lingering rain/snow showers possible
Saturday morning, with much drier and warmer conditions expected
Sunday and Monday. Expect northwest winds 10 to 20 mph on Saturday,
light southerly winds on Sunday, and southwest winds 10 to 20 mph on
Monday.
&&
.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Storm Warning until 5 AM MST Friday for AZZ004-015-016.
Winter Weather Advisory until 5 AM MST /6 AM MDT/ Friday for
AZZ006>008.
Wind Advisory until 11 PM MST /midnight MDT/ this evening for
AZZ009-010-012>014-040.
Winter Weather Advisory from 5 PM MST /6 PM MDT/ this afternoon
to 5 AM MST /6 AM MDT/ Friday for AZZ011-018-039.
Winter Storm Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 5 AM MST Friday
for AZZ017.
&&
PUBLIC...Bernhart/Peterson
AVIATION...Konieczny
FIRE WEATHER...LaGuardia
For Northern Arizona weather information visit
weather.gov/flagstaff
Winter Storm, Western Mogollon Rim
- When
- March 13, 11:00 AM MST to March 14, 4:00 AM MST
- Where
- Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
- Deaths
- 0 direct, 5 indirect
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snow started falling across the Western Mogollon Rim by late morning on Thursday March 13. A snow squall started moving across the zone around 320 PM with strong winds (40 MPH +) and very low visibility. An 18 to 22 car pile-up occured west bound on Interstate 40 at mile post 159 just west of Williams. The wreck started a fire that burned for up to 22 hours. Initally, two people were thought to have died. The remains of three other people were later discovered in the ashes as the result of a missing persons report. The interstate was severely damage in the fire and was closed for several days.
Heavy Snow, Western Mogollon Rim
- When
- March 13, 11:00 AM MST to March 14, 4:00 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)
Public reported 21.0 inches of snow at Arizona Snowbowl, 5.0 to 8.0 inches of snow in Williams, 4.0 to 6.0 inches of snow in Flagstaff, and 4.0 to 6.0 inches of snow in Doney Park.
Heavy Snow, White Mountains
- When
- March 13, 6:30 PM MST to March 14, 7:00 AM MST
- Where
- White Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Public reported between 5.0 and 6.0 inches of snow in McNary and 4.0 to 6.0 inches of snow in Pinetop-Lakeside.
Heavy Snow, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County
- When
- March 13, 6:35 PM MST to March 14, 7:00 AM MST
- Where
- Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Public reported 6.0 inches of snow in Vernon.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- 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.
- Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 13 to 29, 20252 deaths · $10 million · 11 events
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Georgia, March 13 to 16, 2025$302,000 · EF1 · 11 events
- Dust Storm and High Wind in New Mexico, March 13 to 15, 2025$361,000 · 75 kt wind · 21 events
- Wildfire and Dust Storm in New Mexico, March 13 to 15, 2025$160,000 · 71 kt wind · 32 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Kentucky, March 13 to 16, 20252 in hail · 30 events
- Dust Storm and High Wind in New Mexico, March 13 to 14, 2025$20,000 · 83 kt wind · 9 events
- Flash Flood and Debris Flow in Puerto Rico, March 13 to 14, 2025$17,000 · 7 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 13 to 14, 202513 events
- Dust Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 13 to 15, 202576 kt wind · 12 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Alabama, March 13 to 15, 20251.5 in hail · 9 events
- High Wind in Arizona, March 13, 202565 kt wind · 5 events
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Nevada, March 13 to 14, 202553 kt wind · 4 events
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: 1235065, 1245069, 1245068, 1245064.