Bitter cold, snow blast Southwest; Arizona highways closed
Bitter cold, rain and snow blew across much of the Southwest U.S. on Tuesday, closing stretches of interstate and state highways in northern Arizona
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Bitter cold, rain and snow blew across much of the Southwest U.S. on Tuesday, closing stretches of interstate and state highways in northern Arizona where as much as a foot (30 centimeters) of snow was possible and even colder weather on the way.
A winter storm warning remains in effect into Wednesday evening for much of northern Arizona and New Mexico, the National Weather Service said.
A 40-mile (64-kilometer) stretch of northbound Interstate 17 from Lake Montezuma north to Flagstaff was closed Tuesday evening. A short stretch of I-40 near Winslow also was shut down as the powerful cold front continued to move east.
It’s likely to produce snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) per hour in parts of northern Arizona including Flagstaff, the weather service said late Tuesday.
