Katarina Hahn checks her phone before heading into work Wednesday morning after Flagstaff received multiple inches of snow overnight.
© Rachel GibbonsKatarina Hahn checks her phone before heading into work Wednesday morning after Flagstaff received multiple inches of snow overnight.
Up to a foot of snow blanketed parts of Northern Arizona Wednesday, snarling traffic and delaying schools.

Most of Flagstaff received 9 inches of snow by midday and other areas reported more than a foot, according to the National Weather Service in Bellemont. The heaviest snow was expected throughout Wednesday morning and afternoon at elevations above 4,000 feet, with those over 5,000 feet receiving "significant accumulations."

The combination of heavy snow and blowing winds led to low visibility and dangerous driving conditions on local highways and roads. Flagstaff Police Department had responded to more than 10 snow-related crashes by 11 a.m., according to spokesman Sgt. Odis Brockman.

"People need to stay home if they don't absolutely have to be somewhere," Brockman said.

NWS echoed the warning, adding that the snow was falling at a rate of up to 2 inches per hour. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office reported no serious snow-related incidents.



SR 89A was closed in both directions between Sedona and Flagstaff. Interstate 40 was briefly closed between Ash Fork and Williams early Wednesday, but soon reopened.

The Flagstaff Pulliam Airport runway closed at 8:30 a.m. due to weather conditions and the city's trash services were stopped for the day.

The City of Flagstaff operated on a two-hour delay due to the weather and road conditions, as did Northern Arizona University.

Numerous Flagstaff K-12 schools preemptively called off classes Tuesday night ahead of the storm. Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD), Flagstaff Junior Academy (FJA) Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) and San Francisco de Asis Catholic School all canceled classes Wednesday.

FUSD canceled school at all district locations, including before- and after-school activities in addition to food service. The snow day will be made up on April 25.

Snowbowl received more than a foot of snow in just 24 hours, with more on the way. The ski resort is expected to receive an additional 10 inches throughout the day.

The snow was forecast to continue through Wednesday evening. The forecast for Thursday through Sunday calls for mostly sunny skies and high temperatures in the upper 30s and lower 40s, before warming back into the 50s early next week.