Posted in Arizona February 05, 2021 by

The Great Blizzard Of 1967 Dumped 103 Inches Of Snow On Arizona

Winter storms certainly aren’t uncommon here in Arizona, at least not in our northern latitudes. That said, some years are more brutal than others, and 1967 was one of them. On a fateful day that December, just two weeks before Christmas, a deluge of nonstop rain and snow fell in the Flagstaff area for eight straight days. With nearly 103 inches recorded in some spots, it was the worst blizzard the Grand Canyon State has ever seen.

Author’s Note: There are surprisingly few photos from the 1967 blizzard, so we’ve used a few stand-in photos from other snowy years in Arizona for illustrative purposes.

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Arizona's northern and southern halves may as well be two different worlds in the winter, what with their nearly opposite climates.
Flickr/Coconino National Forest, U.S. Forest Service - Deborah Lee Soltesz
In December of 1967, while the desert lowland stayed—for the most part—high and dry, Flagstaff was buried under a whopping 86 inches of snow.
December 12th started off just like any other northern Arizona winter day: with a light snowfall that filled the hearts of young and old with holiday cheer.
Flickr/NPS - M. Quinn
It wasn't until the next day that weather forecasters realized the gravity of what was about to take place.
A winter storm had developed over Arizona and New Mexico, and it was being held in place by a ridge of high pressure near the Rocky Mountains.
Flickr/Alan Levine
Both the high-altitude temperatures and barometric pressure were the lowest since January of 1949, when a monster blizzard dumped almost 70 inches of snow on Flagstaff.
By the 16th of December, 50 inches had fallen with no end in sight.
Flickr/Jason Shultz
Navajo Nation residents and their livestock were stranded in the deluge, and at least nine people lost their lives.
Deteriorating conditions began to push southward, with floodwaters spilling out from the Santa Cruz and Gila rivers.
Wikimedia Commons / Elnogalense
Snowfall was recorded as far south as Gila Bend, albeit not nearly as much as the northern latitudes.
On December 21st, when it was all said and done, Hawley Lake measured 102.7 inches of accumulated snow.
Flickr/Alan Levine
Greer received 99 inches, Heber; 91.5, Crown King; 87.3, Flagstaff; 86... and the list goes on.
Damages aside, the price tag for simply clearing all the roadways was $83,000.
Flickr/U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest - Brady Smith
A cost only fitting for the worst winter storm Arizona has ever seen.

Some even speculate the accumulated snowfall total was even higher, citing human error for the discrepancy. What do you think? Were you alive to experience the blizzard? Tell us your thoughts and/or personal anecdotes in the comments below, and check out our previous article to learn about another winter storm that took Arizona by surprise.

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