The National Weather Service has said that the 2024-25 winter in Flagstaff, Arizona, has been one of the driest in history.
What's happening?
On Jan. 10, Fox 10 Phoenix reported that the winter in Flagstaff was the seventh-driest on record, with data stretching back about 125 years. Through the end of the month, the NWS said the city had received the fourth-lowest snowfall for the season on record.
Megan Taylor, warning coordination meteorologist with the NWS Forecast Office in Flagstaff, told Fox 10 that early January typically features about three feet of snow. In 2025, it was a little under three inches.
In fact, meteorologist Ryan Bernhart of NWS Flagstaff told the Arizona Republic in early February that only 1.9 inches of snow had fallen since Dec. 1, with little more expected until the end of the area's meteorological winter on Feb. 22 — though local outlets did report in mid-February the first significant snow of the season.
The Republic also noted that early February included "near record" temperatures, with a high-pressure weather system to blame for the warmer weather — and thermometers about 15 degrees Fahrenheit higher than usual.
Why is low snowfall concerning?
While recreational skiers in Flagstaff have mostly had to rely on artificial snow, that's only the tip of the iceberg.
The real danger is that without sufficient snowpack accumulations during winter, the water supply could be at risk in spring and summer, when the snow would usually melt. This could affect residential water supplies and, crucially, agriculture.
Taylor told Fox 10 that the water supply was being impacted, with just 30% to 50% of usual levels forecast for winter and spring. This could have dire implications when the heat starts to pick up.
"If we continue to see this lack of snowpack and little in the way of cool-season moisture, it will definitely have an impact to fire season," Taylor added.
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All the time 😎 What can be done to mitigate issues with low snowfall?
"It would take well above normal snowfall in both February and March to even try to get close to normal snowpack up here, which isn't looking likely," Taylor said.
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But while the situation looked bleak, Taylor held out hope for later precipitation, which the area experienced last year, and she noted that the need for water restrictions has been rare.
In order to not push the region toward water shortages, though, homeowners can help. Xeriscaping — a drought-tolerant landscaping method that makes use of native plants and rocks — is a great way to reduce water usage and have a thriving yard that can even support local biodiversity.
Meanwhile, shutting off the tap while brushing your teeth can save eight gallons of water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
While it may be easy to dismiss a single seasonal anomaly, Arizona is contending with increasingly dry conditions. According to NWS data, four of the top 10 lowest-snowfall winters in Flagstaff have occurred in the last 25 years.
Human-caused carbon pollution and the resulting planetary warming are increasing the length, strength, and regularity of extreme weather events such as drought, so weaning ourselves off gas and oil is essential. The pollution these dirty fuels produce when burned traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to higher temperatures.
Swapping a gas-guzzling car for an electric vehicle can help, as can reducing single-use plastic consumption and investing in renewable energy.
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