Dozens of people traveled from Phoenix to Flagstaff on Sunday to play in the snow.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A winter storm dumped nearly a foot of snow in some areas of Arizona, according to the latest report from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Dozens of people traveled from other Arizona cities to witness the first heavy snowfall of the season.
“It's beautiful to look at. It's a little bit freezing, but it's okay. We love it,” said Stephanie Vargas.
Flagstaff was covered in widespread snow Sunday morning.
According to the NWS, about an inch of snow was falling every hour, and by noon, nearly 8 inches of snow had fallen in the city.
“We knew it was going to snow, but we didn't know how much it was going to snow,” Bill Dundas said.
Flagstaff residents spent the day shoveling snow from sidewalks, clearing streets and cleaning driveways.
“This is the biggest snowfall we've had so far this year,” Justin Erickson said.
Andrea Jacques and her family were driving from Phoenix to Flagstaff on Interstate 17 Sunday morning, where several crashes have been reported, but they faced little hardship.
“It was pretty tough for about 30 minutes before the flag went up. It was pretty slow,” Andrea Jacques said. “There was a lot of snow on the ground and it was really foggy so you couldn't really see. There were hazard lights everywhere.”
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) can have up to 200 snow plows and 400 operators on highways during storms.
The City of Flagstaff and Coconino County manage local roads.
“Storm preparedness really starts months in advance,” said Tim Carter, deputy director of the Coconino County Office of Emergency Management.
Carter told 12News that state and local officials closely monitor all winter storms, despite their size.
“This may not be one of the big storms we're going to see, but it's going to be a significant snowfall,” Carter said. “The impact on the roads is a big concern for us. Driving conditions are far from optimal.”
ADOT was forced to temporarily close some major highways during the storm, including portions of State Routes 87 and 89A, as well as Interstate 40, due to icy roads.
The snow has fallen lightly, but the roads are still slippery at below freezing temperatures, so authorities are urging people to drive with caution.
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