ADOT braces for blizzard-like conditions in northern Arizona

The National Weather Service has declared a winter storm warning for Northern Arizona from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 11 p.m. Wednesday.

The warning predicts snows of 2 to 6 inches across northeastern Arizona and up to a foot at elevations above 6,000 feet.

Wind gusts reaching 60-70 miles per hour will create blizzard-like conditions.

Those circumstances will make travel hazardous if not impossible, but ADOT spokesperson David Woodfill says the department is making what preparations it can.

“We do a lot of preparation ahead of every storm, including pre-salting the roadways, posting weather warnings on our digital overhead message boards,” he said. “We’re meeting with state, county and local stakeholders. We’re staging equipment and supplies where they’re needed.”

Woodfill says the department has 200 snowplows at the ready and its crews will go where needed.

“If there are stranded motorists and snow-covered roads, were going to make that our priority,” he said.