Winter storms certainly aren’t uncommon here in Arizona, at least not in our northern latitudes. That said, some years are more brutal than others, and 1967 was one of them. On a fateful day that December, just two weeks before Christmas, a deluge of nonstop rain and snow fell in the Flagstaff area for eight straight days. With nearly 103 inches recorded in some spots, it was the worst winter storm the Grand Canyon State has ever seen. Blizzards in Arizona were almost unheard of… until then.
Author’s Note: There are surprisingly few photos from the 1967 blizzard, so we’ve used a few stand-in photos from other snowy years in Arizona for illustrative purposes.
Arizona’s northern and southern halves may as well be two different worlds in the winter, what with their nearly opposite climates.
Coconino National Forest, Ariz./Flickr In December of 1967, while the desert lowland stayed - for the most part - high and dry, Flagstaff was buried under a whopping 86 inches of snow.
December 12th started off just like any other northern Arizona winter day: with a light snowfall that filled the hearts of young and old with holiday cheer.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr It wasn’t until the next day that weather forecasters realized the gravity of what was about to take place.
A winter storm had developed over Arizona and New Mexico, and it was being held in place by a ridge of high pressure near the Rocky Mountains.
Alan Levine/Flickr Both the high-altitude temperatures and barometric pressure were the lowest since January of 1949, when a monster blizzard dumped almost 70 inches of snow on Flagstaff.
By the 16th of December, 50 inches had fallen with no end in sight.
jason shultz/Flickr Navajo Nation residents and their livestock were stranded in the deluge, and at least nine people lost their lives.
Deteriorating conditions began to push southward, with floodwaters spilling out from the Santa Cruz and Gila rivers.
Elnogalense/Wikimedia Snowfall was recorded as far south as Gila Bend, albeit not nearly as much as the northern latitudes.
On December 21st, when it was all said and done, Hawley Lake measured 102.7 inches of accumulated snow.
Alan Levine/Flickr Greer received 99 inches, Heber; 91.5, Crown King; 87.3, Flagstaff; 86… and the list goes on.
Damages aside, the price tag for simply clearing all the roadways was $83,000.
Coconino National Forest, Ariz./Flickr …a cost only fitting for the worst winter storm Arizona has ever seen.
Some even speculate the accumulated snowfall total was even higher, citing human error for the discrepancy. What do you think? Were you alive to experience the blizzard? Tell us your thoughts and/or personal anecdotes in the comments, and check out our previous article to learn about another winter storm that took Arizona by surprise.
Coconino National Forest, Ariz./Flickr
In December of 1967, while the desert lowland stayed - for the most part - high and dry, Flagstaff was buried under a whopping 86 inches of snow.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr
It wasn’t until the next day that weather forecasters realized the gravity of what was about to take place.
Alan Levine/Flickr
Both the high-altitude temperatures and barometric pressure were the lowest since January of 1949, when a monster blizzard dumped almost 70 inches of snow on Flagstaff.
jason shultz/Flickr
Navajo Nation residents and their livestock were stranded in the deluge, and at least nine people lost their lives.
Elnogalense/Wikimedia
Snowfall was recorded as far south as Gila Bend, albeit not nearly as much as the northern latitudes.
Greer received 99 inches, Heber; 91.5, Crown King; 87.3, Flagstaff; 86… and the list goes on.
…a cost only fitting for the worst winter storm Arizona has ever seen.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Blizzards in Arizona September 27, 2021 Tori Jane Where does it snow in Arizona? Arizona might be located in the Sonoran Desert, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get our fair share of the fluffy white stuff every year. The town of Flagstaff is a snow lover’s dream come true, getting upwards of about 70+ inches of snow per year. Just south of there, in beautiful Sedona, there’s less snow in terms of inches, but tons of value in the incredibly photogenic nature of the town when it’s covered in the stuff. There’s also the White Mountains in eastern Arizona, particularly Pinetop, which sees an average of about 38 inches per year. Other ideal locations for snow in Arizona include Payson and much of the already-amazing Mogollon Rim, Prescott, the Grand Canyon, and Mt. Lemmon, down near Tucson. As long as you know all the hotspots, you’re sure to find a winter wonderland somewhere around the Copper State. What is winter in Arizona like? That depends entirely on where you’ve decided to settle down. Winters in central Arizona are usually quite mild, with no snow (though there have been years where it did!) and only a few nights below freezing. You won’t find black ice on the roads and there won’t be a blizzard anywhere near Phoenix, but that’s part of what’s so appealing about it in winter. For enduring the months of incredibly high temps, we are rewarded with remarkably lovely winters. Further north and further east, it gets much chillier, with plenty of snow and sometimes very dense snowstorms. The average high in December, January, and February is in the 40s, though it’s not as cold as you’d expect just from looking at photos. You’ll have to experience it to really get it! For a look at some of Arizona’s most beautiful snowy landscapes, take a look at this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Blizzards in Arizona
September 27, 2021
Tori Jane
Where does it snow in Arizona? Arizona might be located in the Sonoran Desert, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get our fair share of the fluffy white stuff every year. The town of Flagstaff is a snow lover’s dream come true, getting upwards of about 70+ inches of snow per year. Just south of there, in beautiful Sedona, there’s less snow in terms of inches, but tons of value in the incredibly photogenic nature of the town when it’s covered in the stuff. There’s also the White Mountains in eastern Arizona, particularly Pinetop, which sees an average of about 38 inches per year. Other ideal locations for snow in Arizona include Payson and much of the already-amazing Mogollon Rim, Prescott, the Grand Canyon, and Mt. Lemmon, down near Tucson. As long as you know all the hotspots, you’re sure to find a winter wonderland somewhere around the Copper State. What is winter in Arizona like? That depends entirely on where you’ve decided to settle down. Winters in central Arizona are usually quite mild, with no snow (though there have been years where it did!) and only a few nights below freezing. You won’t find black ice on the roads and there won’t be a blizzard anywhere near Phoenix, but that’s part of what’s so appealing about it in winter. For enduring the months of incredibly high temps, we are rewarded with remarkably lovely winters. Further north and further east, it gets much chillier, with plenty of snow and sometimes very dense snowstorms. The average high in December, January, and February is in the 40s, though it’s not as cold as you’d expect just from looking at photos. You’ll have to experience it to really get it! For a look at some of Arizona’s most beautiful snowy landscapes, take a look at this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Arizona might be located in the Sonoran Desert, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get our fair share of the fluffy white stuff every year. The town of Flagstaff is a snow lover’s dream come true, getting upwards of about 70+ inches of snow per year. Just south of there, in beautiful Sedona, there’s less snow in terms of inches, but tons of value in the incredibly photogenic nature of the town when it’s covered in the stuff. There’s also the White Mountains in eastern Arizona, particularly Pinetop, which sees an average of about 38 inches per year. Other ideal locations for snow in Arizona include Payson and much of the already-amazing Mogollon Rim, Prescott, the Grand Canyon, and Mt. Lemmon, down near Tucson. As long as you know all the hotspots, you’re sure to find a winter wonderland somewhere around the Copper State.
What is winter in Arizona like?
That depends entirely on where you’ve decided to settle down. Winters in central Arizona are usually quite mild, with no snow (though there have been years where it did!) and only a few nights below freezing. You won’t find black ice on the roads and there won’t be a blizzard anywhere near Phoenix, but that’s part of what’s so appealing about it in winter. For enduring the months of incredibly high temps, we are rewarded with remarkably lovely winters. Further north and further east, it gets much chillier, with plenty of snow and sometimes very dense snowstorms. The average high in December, January, and February is in the 40s, though it’s not as cold as you’d expect just from looking at photos. You’ll have to experience it to really get it! For a look at some of Arizona’s most beautiful snowy landscapes, take a look at this article.
