Winter weather advisories issued in Flagstaff; rain slated for Phoenix
A series of winter storm warnings and weather advisories have been issued for Flagstaff and parts of northern Arizona by the National Weather Service as the forecast begins to shift Tuesday night.
⚠️ Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings ⚠️ have been issued for many mountainous areas of northern AZ.
Snow accumulations will vary dramatically, but the bottom line is to be prepared for winter driving conditions on Wed! #azwx pic.twitter.com/ng60Nvze9r— NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) December 27, 2022
"We have a series of winter storms that are going to be impacting northern Arizona starting late tonight." Flagstaff National Weather Service Meteorologist-In-Charge Brian Klimowski said.
In Flagstaff, the snow will begin primarily after midnight and continue into Thursday.
"The system will start out quite warm, so we might see rain in Flagstaff when it starts off this evening but it will change to snow late tonight and we'll see the heaviest accumulation tomorrow, Wednesday morning." Klimowski said.
According to the Flagstaff National Weather Service website, snow levels could range anywhere between 4-6 inches.
Snow in conjunction with high winds however will be the main concern, especially for travelers, as the rain "won't be associated with the greatest impacts."
The upcoming winter weather will lead to impacted travel conditions. Wednesday and Thursday look to experience the most widespread precipitation, leading to the Moderate Risk for traveling. Be sure to check back for updates! #azwx pic.twitter.com/KqqrtU460U
— NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) December 26, 2022
"We are gonna have pretty strong winds this evening," said Klimowski. "With the snowfall tomorrow, winds probably gusting 20 to over 30 mph, so winds will cause limited visibility with the snow as well."
Those looking to escape up north will need to stay alert and travel safely.
More:Winter driving tips: Safety advice for your next trip to northern Arizona
The forecast for Phoenix: Same old rain
Sadly, Phoenix likely won't be gifted with any post-holiday snow as forecasts still show a rainy week.
Precip chances increase Wednesday with steady to moderate rain over the area. Higher elevations north and east of Phoenix will see higher accumulations where there is a minor risk of flooding Wednesday into early Thursday. Some areas of fog are possible Friday morning. #azwx pic.twitter.com/EWAg9BwWQ6
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) December 27, 2022
"We're still just looking at a rain system moving in early tomorrow so into the metro area around 4 to 6 a.m. coming in from the northwest." Phoenix National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Iniguez said Tuesday.
The Phoenix National Weather Service website has the Phoenix area receiving around half an inch to one inch of rain Tuesday night through Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Winter weather advisories issued in flagstaff rain slated in Phoenix
