ARIZONA NEWS

Winter storm brings a little snow to parts of metro Phoenix

Mar 2, 2023, 7:02 AM | Updated: 9:45 pm

(Twitter Photo/Scottsdale Fire Department) (Twitter Photo/Scottsdale Fire Department) (Twitter Photo/Scottsdale Fire Department) Listener-submitted photo of the Estrella Mountains near 51st Avenue on march 2, 2023. (Aron Hernandez Photo) Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix on March 2, 2023. (KTAR News Photo/Troy Barrett)

PHOENIX – Snowflakes and ice dropped on parts of metro Phoenix early Thursday, on the heels of the biggest rainstorm in months.

The National Weather Serviced reported early Thursday snow fell on Gilbert, and also parts of north Scottsdale. Graupel (soft hail) hit elsewhere.

“We definitely saw [graupel] in the Gilbert area as well as up in the Scottsdale area, then the transition to snow as we got over to the Gold Canyon area,” Phoenix bureau meteorologist Sean Benedict told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Most of the rain and snow showers moved farther east of the Valley by around 6 a.m., Benedict said.

While the wet weather was here, it left behind 0.65 inches of rain, with 99% coverage, he said. It was the most rain from a single storm this winter since Dec. 3.

The Maricopa County Flood Control District map showed part of Cave Creek reached 1.14 inches. A rain gauge near McDowell Mountains topped out at 1.10 inches, south Tempe collected 0.75 inches and Glendale and Surprise 0.67.

On the season, 2.06 inches of rain have been recorded in the Valley, ahead of the typical 1.81 inches by this time of year, Benedict said.

Statewide, multiple highways are closed because of wintry conditions, including over 2 feet of snow in Flagstaff.

Here’s the latest list of closures from the Arizona Department of Transportation:

  • U.S. 180 north of Snowbowl (milepost 236-248)
  • S.R. 89A in both directions between Sedona and Flagstaff (milepost 375-398)
  • S.R. 64 near the Grand Canyon National Park East Entrance (milepost 244-261)

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Tasler contributed to this report.

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Winter storm brings a little snow to parts of metro Phoenix