Stunning photos show the Arizona desert covered in snow on New Year's Day
For the first time in five years, the low in Phoenix dropped to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and roughly 6 inches of snow fell in Tucson.
Several schools and government agencies in Albuquerque, New Mexico, closed due to heavy snowfall and ice on the roads. The cold weather has even reached Southern California.
Source: Associated Press
Mayra Vazquez said she brought her children to Saguaro National Park East in Arizona on January 2. "It's the first time we've seen snow the desert," Vasquez said.
Source: Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona, sees very little snow each year. Since December 1, however, the area has been hit with more snow than New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC combined.
Source: Washington Post
"It was pretty magical," Jessica Howard, who lives outside of Tucson, told the AP. "My social media feeds are like 100 percent snow pictures right now."
Source: Associated Press
On New Year's Day, the high temperature in Flagstaff, Arizona — 20 degrees — was the lowest in five years. The temperature went down even more on Thursday, dropping below zero in some areas.
Source: Washington Post
Many roads in Arizona were closed on Monday, and the Arizona Department of Transportation said there was heavy traffic along state highways because of crashes and the weather.
Source: Arizona Daily Sun
Parts of the Grand Canyon National Park closed because of the ongoing partial government shutdown, but some of the park is still open to visitors.
Alaska, meanwhile, experienced a warmer New Year's Day than unusual. More than 32 inches of snow fell in Anchorage during December 2018, but the temperature in the city rose to 42 degrees and melted some of the snow this week.
Source: Associated Press
- Read more:
- 15 amazing things you didn't know about snow
Popular Right Now
Advertisement