FELICIA FONSECA
Associated Press
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - Storms that left piles of snow in northern Arizona and broke into the record books have cleared, and now residents are cleaning up and expecting visitors.
Snow shovels, snow blowers and plows were a common sight around Flagstaff on Friday, and authorities were bracing for what’s expected to be a busy weekend with tourists from farther south in the state looking to play in the snow.
“When it snows like this, everyone wants to come up,” said Coconino National Forest spokesman Brady Smith. “What’s the one rule in Arizona? Everyone flocks toward water. That applies to snow.”
The trouble spot in Flagstaff is U.S. Highway 180, the main route to the Arizona Snowbowl that becomes clogged with traffic that can stretch into downtown Flagstaff, resulting in hours-long waits. Several areas off the highway are designated for people to sled, snowshoe and cross-country ski.
But when small parking areas fill up, people park alongside the road and wherever else they find space.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety Capt. Zeke Zesiger said troopers will patrol the area, cite drivers for parking illegally and have vehicles removed if they obstruct the roadway. Coconino County has jurisdiction over the road leading up to the Snowbowl.
“We need to strike a balance between folks having the ability to go out and do some snow play and recreate in a positive fashion,” said sheriff’s spokesman Gerry Blair. “What we want is for folks to respect residential neighborhoods, private property.”
Another issue is litter. The brightly colored plastic sleds zooming down hills of snow often break and are left behind, along with other trash, authorities said.
The snow is sure to stick around for the weekend, as temperatures remain near or below freezing. A small storm is expected to hit the region Saturday night into Sunday with a couple inches of snow.
The series of El Nino storms that cleared out Friday left nearly 31 inches of snow at the Flagstaff airport, placing them 17th on the list for multi-day continuous and measurable snowfall. The storms put the mountain city about 2 feet above what’s average for this time of year, the National Weather Service said. The city gets about 100 inches of snow per winter season.
Places like Alpine, Forest Lakes and Williams also saw significant snow with more than 2 feet. The Arizona Snowbowl got more than 4.5 feet.
The Grand Canyon’s South Rim had up to 16 inches of snow. Workers were busy clearing snow from heavy tourist areas, but some trails, lookouts and pathways along the rim remained closed Friday because of slick conditions, said park spokeswoman Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski.
In Flagstaff, city officials were recommending that people with flat roofs clear them but it wasn’t a big concern because the snow wasn’t particularly wet or heavy.
Residents and business owners are given 24 hours to rid sidewalks of snow once a storm ends. Police don’t go looking for violators to the city ordinance but people can file complaints.
“While it’s happening, there’s not much we can do, but it’s a safety thing,” said city spokeswoman Kim Ott. “That’s going to be a big push for us.”
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.