Grand Canyon’s first snowfall in the month of January came within hours of turning the calendar to February. The two inches of powder that graced the tinder-dry forests and moisture-starved inner canyon was a welcome sight indeed.
Without a significant storm or two (or three?) in the coming weeks, northern Arizona is likely to notch its driest winter on record. Locals would agree that the stress on the ecosystem, and dire prelude to the summer wildfire season, is hardly worth the lower winter heating bills and free pass on snow shoveling. Water is life as they saying goes, and a good multi-day soaker could not come at a better time.
Arizona Daily Sun article showing drought map and table: Record dry expands drought in Flagstaff