Hiking, biking and mountaineering enthusiasts alike will find plenty of outdoor adventure here, as well as arts and cultural events to attend. Additionally, its historic downtown and railroad district has plenty of old-school charm with lively bar scene and restaurants aplenty.
This town is situated among mountains and ponderosa pine forests, and serves as a gateway to both San Francisco Peaks and Arizona Snowbowl ski resorts.
Snowfall totals
Yesterday’s snowfall brought much-needed precipitation to a region which has been experiencing drought for some time. According to the National Weather Service, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport recorded 9 inches – surpassing its previous record of 7 inches! Additionally, this snowfall added another substantial base layer for Arizona Snowbowl.
Snow is beneficial to an area for various reasons, including lowering wildfire risks. Furthermore, its accumulation can replenish water runoff when it melts in spring and summer months.
One major advantage of snowfall in Phoenix and Maricopa County is that it will extend ski season at local resorts like Snowbowl – a favorite destination among Phoenix residents – through April. Furthermore, snowfall will help safeguard parks and trails throughout the area.
Today’s weather will be pleasant, reaching about 66 degrees with highs expected in Flagstaff’s Museum of Northern Arizona for their Heritage Festival event and Northern Arizona University (NAU) commencement ceremonies without risk of extreme heat. Unfortunately, unsettled conditions will return by Sunday with possible showers likely. It’s an important weekend in Flagstaff as over 5,200 NAU graduates are scheduled to graduate in four ceremonies throughout this week – this weekend will mark an historic momentous occasion!
Road closures
The snowstorm that has been battering Arizona will likely last into Tuesday morning and could pose further complications, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Multiple highways have already been closed due to heavy snow accumulation; drivers should avoid driving unless absolutely necessary and drive with extreme caution when doing so; snow plow drivers need plenty of room; each year incidents arise when drivers try to pass them too closely or close too closely when trying to pass them over the road.
Northern Arizona has experienced high winds caused by this storm. These winds have caused tree branches to come crashing down and power outages; additionally, icy roads have formed across the region, and DPS has issued travel advisories on all highways for travel in this region due to both ice and wind being unsafe for driving conditions. Public information officer John Klimowski cautioned drivers in these circumstances and suggests taking alternate routes where possible.
Winter weather has been beneficial to the area’s mountain snowpack, which has exceeded its annual average thus far this season. According to the National Weather Service forecasts, snow will continue falling through Tuesday but should gradually taper off by evening.
Weather conditions
An Arctic blast moved through Flagstaff Tuesday afternoon and is forecast to linger into Tuesday evening, according to National Weather Service forecasts. Winds were gusting up to 45 mph according to NWS; winds range from 25-30mph with gusts topping 45mph according to NWS warnings for northernwestern Arizona cities like Flagstaff and Williams; the NWS warns motorists against travel due to predicted snow levels falling to below 4,000ft; so motorists are advised not to venture outdoors until 11 pm Tuesday night when this warning expires until then.
The National Weather Service forecasted that this wintry mix will create slippery road conditions at high elevations. They predicted 3 to 6 inches of snow on Flagstaff’s east side and over 10 inches at Arizona Snowbowl – this snowfall arrives several weeks earlier than normal, according to NWS meteorologist Cynthia Kobold.
commuters on Wednesday were not thrilled about the sudden snowfall, whose travels were delayed by a massive winter storm that closed state Route 40 between Kingman and Flagstaff and affected northern portions of Interstate 77. These highways reopened later in the day but drivers should exercise extreme caution while driving on them; ADOT sent crews out to assist in clearing roads throughout the day. Furthermore, due to this weather many schools – Blue Ridge Unified School District as well as Northern Arizona University Mountain Campus closed due to unsafe road conditions.
Trash pickup
Yesterday’s snowfall caused trash and recycling pickup for Flagstaff residential residents to be postponed, along with collection of glass and yard waste. Recyclables collected today and tomorrow will go directly to Cinder Lake Landfill as there is currently no Materials Recovery Facility open – however the city is working on finding other solutions in the near future.
Rigid plastics such as bottles, jugs and jars can be recycled in yellow recycling bins at current recycling stations with paper products, cardboard and tin. Cans and foil should be placed in the trash for disposal while batteries, cleaning products and paint must be brought directly to the Hazardous Products Center for disposal.
Bulky waste collection services are provided every five weeks across five geographical sections in the city. Residents should consult the trash schedule to find their collection date; for larger items that cannot be accepted by the city, consider hiring a junk removal service instead.
