Heavy Snow in Arizona
Every heavy snow event the National Weather Service has filed in Arizona, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
The most significant on the map
The most significant heavy snow episodes in Arizona.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 920
- Deaths
- 7
- Injuries
- 128
- Damage
- $655,000
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 13 to 14, 2025The 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.
- Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Arizona, December 7 to 8, 2009A powerful winter storm hit northern Arizona December 7th and 8th. This storm produced heavy snow, strong winds, and limited visibility in the high country. In the lower terrain, this storm produced heavy rain, damaging winds, and severe thunderstorms.
- Flooding and Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 20 to 26, 2023The first in a series of disturbances moved across Arizona from March 20 to 21. This caused widespread snow showers to develop. The heaviest snow was over the higher terrain in upslope areas. This storm also delivered strong and damaging winds.
- Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in Arizona, October 25 to 27, 2020A cold front bought very windy conditions and sharply colder temperatures along with areas of snow. Daytime temperatures were 20 to 25 degrees below normal.
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, January 3 to 6, 2005A powerful winter storm began to move across northern Arizona on January 3rd and lingered into early January 5th.
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, April 8 to 9, 2011A strong Pacific storm brought widespread rain and snow to northern Arizona April 8 and 9th. Light rain and snow began to develop over the Mogollon Rim during the morning of April 8 and then heavier showers began to spread across western Arizona during the afternoon.
- Flash Flood and Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 1 to 2, 2014A winter storm impacted Southern Arizona on the first day of March. A strong low pressure system off the California coast opened up and dropped through the base of the trough over the southwest U.S.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Arizona, February 27 to 28, 2017The second of two low pressure systems hit northern Arizona with a generous moisture tap. This produced abundant snow above around 6,000 feet and heavy rain below that elevation. Several locations along and north of the Mogollon Rim experienced strong to high winds.
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 19 to 20, 2011A strong and energetic Pacific storm system swept across Arizona with heavy rain and mountain snow. The snow level started off around 7000 feet with heavy wet snow with heavy rain below this elevation. The snow level then dropped to around 4000 feet.
- Heavy Snow and Heavy Rain in Arizona, December 7 to 11, 2007A strong area of low pressure from the Pacific Northwest brought heavy rain, very windy conditions, and high elevation snow on Friday December 7th through Saturday December 8th.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 9 to 10, 2009A second storm in two days brought record amounts of snow to portions of northern Arizona on February 9th. The Arizona Department of Public Safety reported hundreds of vehicle collisions across northern Arizona.
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Arizona, December 29 to 30, 2010A strong and extremely cold Pacific storm system moved across Arizona December 29th and 30th. Heavy snow and strong winds produced hazardous weather conditions across much of northern Arizona.
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, November 26 to 29, 2016A large trough of low pressure from the Pacific moved across the Western States with three distinct short wave troughs impacting northern Arizona. This storm system brought widespread rain and snow to the area.
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Arizona, February 21 to 22, 2023A strong, cold low pressure system digging from Canada into the western U.S. brought high southwest winds ahead of it and heavy mountain snow behind it.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Arizona, January 20 to 23, 2010A series of four Pacific storms pounded the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin between January 18th and 21st with heavy rain and snow (which led to river flooding), locally high winds, and isolated severe thunderstorms.
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 4 to 5, 2004A winter storm brought widespread snowfall to northern Arizona during the late afternoon and overnight. Most locations received only a few inches of new snow and some locations received considerably heavier amounts.
- Heavy Snow and Heavy Rain in Arizona, December 15 to 18, 2008A large scale trough of low pressure brought two back to back storms to northern Arizona over much of a four day period. These storms brought close to two feet of new snow over the Western Mogollon Rim at 7000 feet and close to four feet of new snow above 9000 feet.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Arizona, December 30 to 31, 2014A very cold storm system brought rare low elevation snow to the Mojave Desert. The event continued into January 2015.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Arizona, December 1 to 2, 2011A low pressure area slowly moving through the Great Basin and Colorado brought snow to northern Arizona. Over a foot of snow fell over portions of the Mogollon Rim where the upslope flow enhanced the snowfall.
- Heavy Snow and Heavy Rain in Arizona, February 22 to 24, 2015A cold front moved from north to south across northern Arizona and stalled for over a day. This brought areas of heavy snow and lower elevation rain to northern portions of the state.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Arizona, December 13 to 14, 2012A storm system approaching the Pacific Northwest Coast kicked a closed low off the southern California Coast across Arizona. This closed low brought heavy snow to portions of northern Arizona.
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, December 30 to 31, 2014A cold and strong area of low pressure moved southward along the California Coast and became cut off from the jet stream of the southern California Coast. This low brought moisture streaming northward over Arizona.
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Snow in Arizona, November 28 to 29, 2019A large winter storm brought heavy rain and snow to the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin, causing major impacts to the Thanksgiving holiday traffic.
- Heavy Snow and Damaging Winds in Arizona, April 26 to 27, 2024A low pressure center produce widespread precipitation across northern Arizona with snow above 6500 feet. This low also produce scattered thunderstorms with strong winds.
- Heavy Snow and Frost and Freeze in Arizona, January 1, 2015A very cold storm system brought rare low elevation snow to the Mojave Desert. The event began in December 2014.
More
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 2026-09-24.