Snow reaches southeast Arizona as storms stretch into another day

PHOENIX — If you thought the weather in Arizona couldn’t get any stranger, Mother Nature threw out one more curveball.

Snow reached southeastern Arizona early Friday, reaching towns including Benson and Tucson.

Here is the latest radar imagery, southeast Arizona is coverred by widespread rain and snow. Snow levels down as low as 2000 feet which includes all of the Tucson Metro. 1-2" of snow possible on cold surfaces in Tucson Metro. #azwx pic.twitter.com/kVxb4A6AHz

— NWS Tucson (@NWSTucson) February 22, 2019

I-10 is slow from Benson to Tucson because of SNOW. Keep your speed down because the road is slippery. We're also seeing snow on I-19. #azwx #Tucson #azwx pic.twitter.com/HnJL400gaQ

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) February 22, 2019

The snow was not immediately measurable, but it was definitely there — and many took notice. But eventually, the snow reached 1.5 inches at the Tucson airport before 11 a.m.

Snow continues in Tucson! 0.4" on our snowboard here at the office on the University of Arizona. Looks like this rate of snow in town will continue for another hour or so. #azwx pic.twitter.com/jyKzm1a2nR

— NWS Tucson (@NWSTucson) February 22, 2019

Here’s what that #Tucson snow looks like from our Traffic Operations Center’s video board. #azwx pic.twitter.com/CPhoJqa3cZ

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) February 22, 2019

Snowing in downtown Tucson. pic.twitter.com/k91xmgjbYQ

— Tucson DOT (@Tucson_DOT) February 22, 2019

More snow! pic.twitter.com/bzUhiWYXSW

— Tucson DOT (@Tucson_DOT) February 22, 2019

It’s snowwwwing! ⛄️ #Tucson pic.twitter.com/yqsDxXOwot

— TucsonAirport (@TucsonAirport) February 22, 2019

Not something you see very often in the #Tucson desert. ❄️ pic.twitter.com/5XVausjCKO

— 🅙🅤🅢🅣🅘🅝 (@just_jenkins) February 22, 2019

Yes, that white fluffy stuff coming down from the sky is snow ❄️ in Tucson! 🌴🌵. Happy Friday. @UofAZPolice @UofA

— Brian A Seastone (@UAPoliceChief) February 22, 2019

The National Weather Service said a winter storm warning remained in effect until 8 p.m., with as many as 40 inches of snow expected in elevations above 7,000 feet.

Tucson’s elevation is 2,389 feet, while its famed Mount Lemmon is 9,157 feet in elevation. The mountain got 38 inches of snow and was closed.

The snow and the crashes it caused forced the closure of Interstate 10 eastbound about seven miles east of Benson, but it reopened just before 11 a.m.

It also delayed some flights out of Tucson Airport.

Even U.S. Sen. Martha McSally and her dog Boomer were enjoying the snow.

We’re enjoying the Tucson snow! pic.twitter.com/ShyfycxlpZ

— Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) February 22, 2019

The Friday snow in Tucson meant that it officially snowed in every part of Arizona this week.

Flagstaff saw 31-plus inches of snow — a record-breaking amount — on Thursday and even Scottsdale saw some of the white stuff on Friday.

The majority of the Valley witnessed rain, with Thursday breaking a record in Phoenix.

The rain totaled 1.01 inches, surpassing the previous mark of 0.73 inches set in 1973.

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