FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily) — The High Country is getting hit with a short storm system Monday night, which will bring much-needed snow to areas like the San Francisco Peaks.
However, many areas are still well below average for snowfall, which has lasting impacts on our state’s water supply and the upcoming fire season.
Flagstaff is usually one of the top ten snowiest cities in the country, but that’s not the case this year.
Megan Taylor, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service Flagstaff, said snowfall and snowpack are well below average this winter.
“Flagstaff is measuring about 26 inches of snow this season,” Taylor said. “That’s about 60 inches below normal.”
She said the low snowpack locally will have a lasting impact on our water supply.
“So that’s what we rely on to help restore the reservoirs, streams, lakes, and water levels,” Taylor said. “So with the lack of snowpack, we are going to see well below average water supply for this year.”
Arizona isn’t the only place with low snow. Colorado has recorded its worst snowpack ever.
Their snow pack feeds into Lake Powell and the Colorado River.
“Certainly anticipating very low water levels at Lake Powell this year,” Taylor said. “And we are getting some moisture now, thankfully, but these storms that we’ve had have brought not enough to make up for the lack of snowpack this year.”
Taylor said there is good news. Despite record heat and low snow, rain and moisture are above average. Plus, each storm system we get helps delay the fire season by a week or so.
“Anything we can get will help us delay fire seasons a little bit,” Taylor said. “So right now we’ll take whatever we can get, especially given the lack of snowpack this year.”
This snow system won’t just push fire season back, but Arizona Snowbowl is opening for two extra days beginning Tuesday.
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