Winter storm to bring snow to the highlands

An “unprecedented” winter storm continued its assault on the nation Monday, leaving millions without electricity in Texas and wreaking havoc due to heavy snow and ice in much of the central and southern United States, USA Today reported.

In parts of northern Arizona, rain and snow showers are forecast late Monday through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Windy to windy conditions are expected in the Phoenix area Tuesday through Wednesday. Light rainfall will be mostly confined to the higher ground in south central Arizona, the weather service reported.

  • Expected snowfalls include up to 3 inches on the south rim of the Grand Canyon and up to 5 inches in Flagstaff and Show Low.
  • Most of the rain expected in the Phoenix area will be in the west valley.
  • Cooler temperatures are expected across the state next week.

Follow the coverage of the storms by reporters from the Republic and USA TODAY Network.

Monday, 11.00 a.m .: In some communities in the north of AZ, a winter weather recommendation applies

According to a forecast by the National Weather Service, which was published shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday, rain and snow showers are expected to develop in the Flagstaff area on Monday evening and move southeast into Tuesday evening.

During the day, the Flagstaff area can expect warmer temperatures, partly cloudy skies and gusty southwest winds, according to the forecast. Temperatures will be high in the mid 1940s and lows in the 1920s.

Northern Navajo County and much of Apache County have a winter weather recommendation from Monday evening through Tuesday. Meteorologists will likely include the White Mountains in their deliberations in the afternoon, the forecast said.

The occasional snow showers will continue on Wednesday before it gets warmer and drier at the end of the week.

High Tuesday and Wednesday temperatures will be in their upper 30s with teenage lows.

– Mike Cruz

5:30 p.m. Sunday: Polar Vortex: Winter storms, bitter temperatures blow up much of the nation

Icy roads contributed to a rapidly growing number of vehicle stacks on Sunday as parts of the nation grappled with major winter storms that caused power outages and traffic nightmares.

A fiery accident involving multiple tractor units forced the shutdown of Interstate 44 in both directions northeast of Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said there were also passenger cars at the scene of the accident. The number and severity of injuries caused by the wreck were assessed.

In Texas, the highway patrol had reported several multi-car pileups in the western part of the state by early afternoon, including one with 25 vehicles and part of I-20 to the west.

– John Bacon and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY

Sunday lunchtime: On Monday, winter storms hit northeast Arizona

A winter storm swept parts of the nation this weekend. Much of Texas was frozen, icy roads piling up in Tennessee, heavy snow and ice blasting the Pacific Northwest early Saturday, more than 700,000 people in eight states were without power, and parts of the plains, the south and the mid-Atlantic are expected to be early next Week see more snow and freezing rain.

Beginning late Monday in Arizona, the storm is expected to deliver up to 9 inches of snow at 7,000 feet and up to 4 inches at 5,000 feet around the eastern Mogollon rim, White Mountain region, and northeastern parts of Arizona, according to meteorologist Emily Thornton at the National Weather Service in Flagstaff.

“We expect the snowfall to continue through eastern Arizona through tonight,” Thornton said.

Flagstaff and areas to the west will see less snow than Saturday’s storm. Areas like Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, and the Kaibab Plateau are expected to have 1 to 3 inches of snow, according to Thornton.

According to meteorologist Austin Jamison of the National Weather Service in Phoenix, the greater Phoenix area is expected to have milder weather than on Saturday.

Smaller winds will blow in northeastern parts of the Phoenix subway on Tuesday afternoon with little chance of rain, Jamison said.

“Temperatures are unlikely to change much from (Monday) to Tuesday,” added Jamison.

The National Weather Service warns anyone traveling to northern Arizona to prepare for winter weather driving conditions.

“It doesn’t take much to cause problems,” warned Thornton. “It will always be dangerous when snow falls in northern Arizona.”

– Miguel Torres

Saturday, 9.45 p.m .: SR 89A and I-40 closed due to extreme weather conditions

Extreme winter conditions have closed the roads in northern Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Interstate 40 west on Milepost 219 outside of Winona and both directions on State Route 89A between Mileposts 398-376 (Flagstaff to Sedona) are closed.

There is no estimated time for it to reopen, but motorists are encouraged to postpone their travel in Northern Arizona until the storm is over.

– Michael McDaniel

Saturday, 5:38 p.m .: rain is pouring out of Phoenix

On Sunday the clouds clear and the temperatures in the valley reach a maximum of 67 degrees. There is no expectation of precipitation, said Jaret Rogers, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Tonight, Northern Arizona will be the most active part of the state, where areas like Flagstaff can see some showers and thunderstorms.

Sunday brings a high temperature forecast of 39 degrees in the northern parts of the state. Flagstaff and other parts of eastern and northern Arizona will see persistent rain and snow showers throughout the day.

– Michael McDaniel

Saturday, 11 a.m .: In the afternoon, light rain is expected in the Phoenix region

According to the National Weather Service in Phoenix, another weather system will move through the Phoenix area on Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening and Tuesday.

Light showers are forecast over higher elevations north and east of Phoenix, while windy conditions affect the area from Saturday afternoon through evening, according to the weather service. Winds are expected to increase with gusts of 35 miles per hour on late Saturday afternoon.

The low temperature for the Phoenix area on Saturday was forecast to be 49 degrees Fahrenheit with mostly cloudy skies. According to the weather service, a continuous cold front lowers the high temperatures to Sunday in the mid to late 1960s.

On Tuesday there will be windy conditions in the valley again with light rain over higher areas, with temperatures fluctuating near seasonal norms throughout the week before warming up until next weekend, the weather service said.

In parts of northern Arizona, according to the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, snow falls in the early afternoon of the entire Sunday afternoon.

The Grand Canyon’s northern rim could see up to 5 inches of snowfall over the weekend, while Flagstaff is expected to see around 3.3 inches, according to the weather service.

The weather service recommends packing winter items such as warm clothing, a flashlight, blankets, a cell phone charger and a first aid kit in preparation for the winter travel conditions at the weekend.

– Audrey Jensen

Friday, 4.30 p.m .: Incredible winter storms are expected from coast to coast

The brutal winter weather shows no signs of easing as the US has endured one of its busiest winter weather patterns “for decades,” forecasters said Friday.

A bitterly cold Arctic air mass spread over much of the country will help fuel winter storms that “wreak havoc from coast to coast not only this weekend but also next week,” the National Meteorological Service warned.

AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno called it “a stormy, stormy pattern across the country” and described it as “incredible”.

Heavy snow and ice will blast the Pacific Northwest on Friday, while snow and freezing rain will hit parts of the plains, the south and the central Atlantic by Saturday, the weather service said.

According to Weather.com, the next winter storm will bring significantly worse weather conditions than early Thursday morning in Texas, when at least six people were killed and 65 more were hospitalized – including the frontline health workers who have just left their shift massive chain reaction accident that involved more than 100 vehicles on an icy highway in Fort Worth.

The crash occurred when an icy storm dropped much of Thursday’s ice and snow on a 1,500 mile stretch of land from Texas to southern New Jersey, causing widespread power outages and extremely dangerous road conditions.

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