Road closures in Flagstaff, Grand Canyon as winter storm passes through Arizona

Ellie Willard, Arizona Republic
·3 min read
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As an intense winter storm makes its way across northern Arizona, drivers should stay up to date on hazardous road conditions and as the Arizona Department of Transportation shuts down some highways.

Near the Grand Canyon, which could be accumulating eight to 12 total inches of snow early this week, according to the National Weather Service, State Route 64 between milepost 241-268 remained closed as of noon on Monday. The highway was shut down late Sunday.

ADOT tweeted Sunday night that snow and ice have been reported on roads in the Springerville area, especially US 191. This also includes some flagged areas in Greer and along SR 261.

Around 8:30 a.m. Monday, the Flagstaff National Weather Service warned that snowfall rates would pick up within the next couple of hours and could leave portions of I-40 from Williams to Flagstaff and I-17 from Flagstaff to the Overlook impassable at times.

"Avoid travel if you can. If you do drive, leave prepared and download the AZ511 app to stay ahead of conditions," cautioned the Arizona Department of Transportation via a tweet. Drivers can also find up-to-date road closures and ice warnings on the website AZ511.com, and track the latest weather forecast at weather.gov/FGZ

What to remember for driving in the snow

Officials recommended not driving until the bulk of the storm passed, but for those who must travel, they said to be well prepared for snowy and icy conditions.

Road conditions left cars scattered off I-17 south of Flagstaff as a heavy snowstorm gripped the area on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
Road conditions left cars scattered off I-17 south of Flagstaff as a heavy snowstorm gripped the area on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.

The National Weather Service recommended residents “winterize” their vehicle, pack an emergency supply kit and avoid all nonessential travel during the high-impact winter storm periods, which will occur Sunday through Tuesday.

Some tips from the Arizona Department of Transportation include keeping an adequate distance from any snowplows, driving slow with slow accelerations, planning and checking routes ahead of driving and making sure your vehicle is properly prepared for snow.

ADOT has released what they recommend as a "must-have" winter vehicle supply kit, which includes:

  • Cellphone and charger

  • Water

  • Winter clothing/blankets

  • Prescribed medication

  • First-aid kit

  • Flashlight with extra batteries

  • Ice scraper

  • A small bag of sand or cat litter for wheel traction

  • Compact shovel for snow removal

  • Travel tool kit and battery cables

  • Safety flares

  • Nonperishable snacks

  • Road map

Storm to continue through Tuesday

A snow plow drives through downtown Flagstaff during a heavy snow storm on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
A snow plow drives through downtown Flagstaff during a heavy snow storm on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.

According to the National Weather Service, heavy snow will continue into Tuesday morning, but will begin to taper off by nightfall.

After snow on Sunday and Monday, worries about Tuesday's snowfall include tough snow management as the snow compounds atop each other and melting snow which will contribute to icy roads.

From 11 p.m. Monday to 11 p.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service said Flagstaff will receive between 4-6 inches of snowfall, Williams will receive 3-4 inches of snow, Grand Canyon village will receive 2-3 inches of snow, Jacob Lake will receive 4-6 inches of snow and Show Low will receive 2-3 inches.

The National Weather Service said conditions are expected to improve starting Wednesday with a slight chance of snow showers to return Thursday and Friday.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Winter storm prompts road closures in northern Arizona