A fierce winter storm sweeping through Arizona has prompted the shuttering of Flagstaff schools and significantly impacted travel with the closure of Interstate 17. ABC15 reports that the Flagstaff Unified School District axed classes, after-school activities, and food services today, as snow made conditions unsafe.
Roadways didn't fare much better, with a stretch of northbound I-17 near Munds Park closed after multiple commercial vehicles got snarled in the whiteout. Snow plows were reportedly unable to navigate past the trapped trucks, according to Arizona Department of Transportation and Public Safety officials, forcing a shutdown which partially reopened later at milepost 310.
The storm, while dusting roads with layers of snow, also lashed parts of the Valley with persistent rain. As gauged by the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, and detailed by ABC15, many locales saw upwards of a half-inch of precipitation, with Queen Creek topping charts at 1.06 inches in the deluge.
More snowfall is on the forecast for sections of the state as today progresses, while Valley residents might need to keep those umbrellas handy for a few more showers. Although southbound lanes remained open, the gap between a winter wonderland and standstill traffic was marked by the silent, rhythmic fall of snowflakes, which disrupted not just travel, but the daily rhythm of an entire community.
