PHOENIX (AP) — Overnight winds roared through northern Arizona, cutting power to thousands of homes and the National Weather Service’s offices in Flagstaff.
The strongest gust occurred early Wednesday morning at 85 mph on Interstate 17, roughly halfway between Flagstaff and Phoenix, according to Weather Service data.
The Arizona Department of Transportation said it took a rare step and preemptively closed major roads statewide because of the wind and snow.
More than 200 miles of Interstate 40 has been closed in both directions from western Arizona to the New Mexico border.
The 51 mph gust at Tucson International Airport on Wednesday was the strongest February gust in 50 years, according to the National Weather Service.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph caused 66 flights to be canceled and 45 delayed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport by 9 a.m. Wednesday, officials said.
More than 5,700 homes lost power Wednesday morning in the Phoenix metropolitan area, with 10,000 homes affected in the Flagstaff area. Snowfall and 68 mph gusts were causing whiteout conditions in the area.
Elevations above 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) in northern Arizona will see up to a foot of snow by Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Several Flagstaff schools announced closures on Tuesday ahead of the storm.
Strong wind warnings are in effect for much of New Mexico through Thursday morning, with gusts of up to 70 mph (113 km/h) possible, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
A storm system hit southern Nevada on Tuesday, causing power outages and flight delays at Las Vegas airports.
