Flagstaff offers four distinct seasons and much lower average temperatures than the Phoenix region due to its elevation. This makes Flagstaff an ideal location for anyone who appreciates majestic scenery, four distinct seasons and year-round sunshine.
National Weather Service employees at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport don’t require anyone else’s confirmation that 2023-23 has already set records.
Temperatures
The National Weather Service anticipates another storm will arrive early Thursday afternoon, possibly bringing 12-18 inches of snowfall to Flagstaff by Friday morning. Snowfall will be heavy in mountainous areas; forecasters caution people to use extreme caution on roads where heavy snow could obscure vision, while winds gusting up to 35 mph are predicted.
Winter Weather Advisories continue to be issued for northern Arizona, including Flagstaff. School closures continue to be announced by Blue Ridge Unified school district as well as mountain campus classes at Northern Arizona University. Furthermore, this winter weather has caused roadway closures throughout northern Arizona including some highways.
At higher elevations, snow flurries may occur with accumulations of less than an inch possible; however, most areas should remain dry throughout this weekend and into early next week.
Flagstaff is an exceptional place to both live and visit in Arizona’s tallest mountains, offering four distinct seasons and much cooler temperatures than Phoenix due to its elevation of 6,910 feet. As such, Flagstaff makes for a fantastic alternative destination while still enjoying beautiful and unique climate conditions.
Wind
Flagstaff winds should be considered when planning outdoor activities, as their speed and direction can have an enormous effect on your experience. Measured winds are measured at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport with forecast updates four times daily providing guidance for windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, sailing, and fishing using GFS models as forecasting tools.
Flagstaff experiences fluctuating temperatures throughout the year. The cold season lasts 3.5 months from November 20 to March 6, when temperatures are typically below freezing. Meanwhile, during growing season from May 30 to October 1, temperatures exceed 70degF for up to 4.1 months of time.
Flagstaff experiences significant seasonal variation in its rainfall totals. A wet day is defined as any day with at least 0.04 inches of liquid-equivalent precipitation or equivalent rainfall, and average rainfall peaks for Flagstaff is in August at around 11-9 wet days per month.
Flagstaff boasts 700 lane miles, 8 alley miles, 131 bike lanes, 42 miles of sidewalk, 27,000 driveways and 42 FUTS (municipal utilities). Equipment makes multiple passes through to clear streets completely; equipment sets priorities for plowing based on priority roads as quickly as possible – for any further inquiries please reach out to Flagstaff Public Works Department.
Rain
Flagstaff is an ideal location to live or visit if you enjoy experiencing four distinct seasons, thanks to its elevation of 6,910 ft above sea level and much cooler climate due to more rain and snowfall compared to surrounding desert areas.
Flagstaff has experienced an exceptional winter, as snowfall reports continue to surpass their 2023 averages. At the National Weather Service office near Bellemont, 146.7 inches have been recorded – which surpasses even 1948-49’s record 153.9 inch accumulation during July through March period.
The city plows 700 lane miles, 8 alley miles, 131 bike lanes, 270 miles of sidewalks and 27,000 driveways annually using city equipment that makes multiple passes to ensure that each lane and sidewalk has been completely covered with snow. Policy provides priority areas and desired timeframes for plowing operations.
Residents and visitors to Flagstaff alike appreciate its ever-evolving scenic views as summer green gives way to golden yellow in autumn before turning white during winter. Our Flagstaff weather webcam lets you witness this dramatic transformation first hand, providing up-to-date local conditions as well as alerts from Arizona Department of Public Safety and National Weather Service alerts, wind speed, humidity, barometric pressure, dew point temperature information as well as sunrise/sunset times and moon phases – so stay tuned!
Snow
Flagstaff’s high elevation means temperatures tend to be 20-30 degrees cooler than Phoenix throughout the day, making it an excellent way to experience four distinct seasons and one of Arizona’s best spots for skiing. Flagstaff Nordic Village provides both novice and advanced skiers with access to easy yet challenging cross-country trails for skiing fun and exercise.
Though winter conditions appear to be gradually dissipating, some snow-related closures remain. Schools in Blue Ridge, Flagstaff and Prescott Unified School Districts were closed Wednesday due to weather conditions; as were mountain campus classes at Northern Arizona University as well as numerous Arizona highways.
Last night was truly stunning for snowfall totals in Flagstaff and beyond, with some areas reporting up to 24 inches by Thursday morning. Munds Park and Kachina Village experienced some of the highest accumulations – Munds Park saw 13 inches alone while Kachina Village recorded 10. The city’s Snow Operations Division has been hard at work keeping roads clear by prioritizing plowing lane miles, alleys, bike lanes, sidewalks – currently they plow over 2,600 miles and 131 miles respectively each season!
