WILLIAMS, Arizona — As of January 23, Williams has accumulated 71 inches of accumulated winter snowfall. That’s more than double the usual 30 inches of snowfall at this time, according to Flagstaff’s National Weather Service.

In January, Williams received 56 inches of snow. That’s five times his normal snowfall for January, 11 inches, said Brian Klimovski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Flagstaff.

According to Klimovski, the last time Williams recorded 60 inches of snow by January 19 was in 2009, with 61 inches of reported snowfall.

As of January 23rd, Flagstaff has had about 84 inches of snowfall for the entire winter season.

Flagstaff recorded 60.4 inches of snowfall this January. This breaks his infamous January 1979 accumulated snowfall record of 59.4 inches, which ranks as the third highest snowfall on record.

Flagstaff averages 20.9 inches of snow in January.

While some may prefer heavy snowfall, the wet winters and monsoon season allow everyone to rejoice in the fact that we are officially out of the drought.

“These storms have helped ease drought conditions in central Arizona at this time. We are officially out of the drought,” says Klimowski. He said.

The bad news is that the snow has literally started to weigh on people. For Williams and Flagstaff, Klimovski says he’s approaching 15 to 20 pounds per square foot of snow. All that weight can lead to potential roof collapse.

“We are starting to reach the limits of our concerns, especially for weaker structures,” says Klimowski. “We have seen weak structures collapse under their weight in the area.”

Ice dams are another concern. Ice dams occur when accumulated snow melts during the day and freezes again at night when the temperature drops. After several days of thawing and freezing cycles, it is common for melted water and ice to pool under the shingles, allowing water to enter the attic and eventually damage the ceiling, walls and contents. dams can cause significant damage to buildings and their contents if left unattended for long periods of time.

The National Weather Service recommends keeping gutters clean by using tools such as “roof rakes” to limit snow build-up on roofs and keep gutters and drains clear of snow and icicles. increase.

Information provided by the National Weather Service.