New Year’s Eve delivers rain, snow and road closures throughout Arizona
Dec 31, 2018, 3:58 PM | Updated: 6:58 pm
PHOENIX — You may have expected there to be snow in Flagstaff on New Year’s Eve, but in Scottsdale?
The Desert Mountain Club off of North Cave Creek Road saw snow starting around 1 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service, the potential for snow flurries will continue through northern parts of the Phoenix area through the evening.
Rain showers covered most of the Phoenix area throughout the afternoon and were expected to begin dying down around 4 p.m.
Northern Arizona saw more substantial snow throughout the morning and afternoon, leading to dicey driving conditions and road closures.
Sections of State Route 87, 89, 169 and 260 were closed due to weather and crashes.
The heaviest snow was expected to fall on Interstate 17 between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m, with Flagstaff expected to receive 4 to 6 inches.
State officials advised people to stay off the roads until the storms passed.
For those traveling through the affected areas, they recommended packing food, water, warm clothes and a charged cell phone for the trip.
This is how it looks right now on the I-17 about 35 miles south of Flagstaff. Watch for snow-covered and slippery roads if you’re driving in the area. #azwx pic.twitter.com/ClsqM5lWyw
— Griselda Zetino (@GriseldaZetino) December 31, 2018
This photo by ADOT's Mark Trennepohl, the statewide road weather manager, shows conditions at I-40 at Butler in Flagstaff. #aztraffic #flagstaff pic.twitter.com/JKNscVFnD9
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) December 31, 2018
These images from Clints Well and Heber show the snowstorm. If you decide to travel during a snowstorm, be prepared for delays and the possibility that you will spend extended time in winter conditions due to slowing and closures caused by the weather. Plz delay travel! #azwx pic.twitter.com/PBZqVgh42b
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) December 31, 2018
