Flagstaff is one of the snowiest cities in America, drawing thousands of skiers and snowboarders every year with its subzero temperatures and abundance of powder snow.
This page presents monthly and yearly data regarding how much snow usually falls on Flagstaff each winter.
Snowfall levels vary year to year and, during particularly heavy years, can reach over 27 inches by December.
November
Flagstaff’s winter snowfall season typically runs from October through December. One out of every four Novembers doesn’t experience light snowfall at all. Heavy snowfall usually begins falling during December; every fourth year will experience more than 27 inches.
January is typically the coldest month of the year in Flagstaff and also sees its highest snowfall accumulation, averaging six or more snowfall days during this month on average and reaching 29 inches or greater in extreme years, as well as nine or less accumulation.
As temperatures plunge below freezing, it is vital to be prepared for snowy weather in Flagstaff. Check out our latest episode of Experience Flagstaff for tips on playing in and driving through snow! You can also take a look at our list of great spots where to play in Flagstaff! If any further inquiries arise, do not hesitate to reach out – we are here to make your stay enjoyable and enjoy all that makes Flagstaff so unique.
December
December marks the official beginning of winter season in Flagstaff. Average temperatures tend to drop, and snowfall occurs regularly – an average of 1.1 inches over 3.6 days on average in Flagstaff during this month alone! Furthermore, average sunshine duration drops considerably with only 6.8h of sunlight daily!
Flagstaff experiences several snowstorms each winter that dump ten or more inches of snow on the ground, usually six times annually; major blizzards that blanket an entire city only come along once or twice in any given season.
Flagstaff stands higher than Phoenix, meaning any rain that falls there could turn to snow in Flagstaff – one of the reasons it tends to have a much colder climate than Phoenix.
Over the last 30 years, records indicate that there has been snow present on Christmas 65% of times – significantly higher than the national average of 17%.
January
Flagstaff enjoys sunny and clear conditions in January. Rainfall occurs on only 0.11 percent of days during this month.
Flagstaff experiences its snow season between November 4 and August 22; typically covering an average 113-inch snowfall total over this time frame.
According to the National Weather Service, this winter has been one of the snowiest on record; indeed it already ranks fifth since records began being kept back in 1884.
Tourism scores favor clear, rainless days with perceived temperatures above 68degF; thus the ideal time of year to visit Flagstaff for general outdoor tourism activities would be from mid June through late August.
February
Flagstaff is known as one of the snowiest cities in Arizona and the United States, experiencing heavy snowfall throughout winter. Snowfall typically falls from November until late February (though cold conditions can linger well into March), during which time an average of 6.2 days per month of snowfall occurs, producing up to 5.94 inches.
At this time of year, it is common for blizzards to dump up to 10 inches of snow per day on northern Arizona and New Mexico – motorists should take extra caution when driving in these conditions.
On the flip side, snowstorms offer local businesses an opportunity to capitalize on holiday cheer and benefit from holiday sales. Estevan from Flagstaff Towing and Recovery says he has been working tirelessly during this particular snowfall – with Estevan working non-stop!
This figure presents a concise characterization of hourly average temperatures in Flagstaff over 2023, depicted along two axes – date and hour axis respectively. Color bands represent 25th, 75th and 10th-90% percentiles respectively.
March
Flagstaff Public Works crews have been busy plowing hundreds of miles of primary roads despite inclement weather conditions. “We have plenty of plows out here working to keep roads open,” according to spokeswoman Kim Kobold.
Flagstaff experiences heavy snowfall each winter, making traveling difficult. Snowfall often closes NAU and other businesses while even small amounts can make driving treacherous. Here are a few tips to avoid being stuck in the snow this winter.
Flagstaff experiences its brightest period from April 25 to June 10 when daily solar incident shortwave energy exceeds 7.6 kWh on average.
Flagstaff enjoys a longer growing season than many Arizona cities due to its higher elevation, making the climate in Flagstaff typically cooler. This page compiles information on when, how often and how often it snows based on data from Flagstaff Pulliam Airport weather station as well as monthly and yearly counts of days that have either rain, snow or mixed precipitation events.
