Winter Storm — Coconino Plateau, Arizona

2003-02-24 to 2003-02-26 · Coconino Plateau, Arizona

Wider weather episode

A strong Pacific storm system moved across northern Arizona with widespread snow and rain. The greatest amounts of snow fell at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Eastern Mogollon Rim, Northern Gila County, and the White Mountains. Some of the lower elevations picked up more than an inch and a half of rain. Some of the storm total snowfall amounts were: Greer 20 inches, Forest Lakes 16 inches, Christopher Creek 14 inches, Pinetop and Alpine 12 inches, Happy Jack, Crown King, and Kachina Village all had 10 inches, Grand Canyon-North Rim 9 inches and Munds Park 9 inches, and Bagdad 5 inches.Heavy snow caused pine trees to fall over power and phone lines in the Ponderosa Park area south of Prescott. Over 800 customers were without power. Thousands of pine trees fell along Highway 260 between Heber, Forest Lakes, and Christopher Creek and along Highway 87 between Pine and Clint's Well. Hundreds of trees also fell along Lake Mary Road between Clint's Well and Happy Jack. Some of the trees were up to 6 inches in diameter where they snapped in half.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5343381. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.