Arizona – A thin veil of frost clings to pine needles across northern Arizona this morning, the kind that glitters just long enough for sunrise to erase it. The air in Flagstaff carries that unmistakable early-winter edge — crisp, still, and perfectly quiet before Thanksgiving travel surges across the mountain corridors.
For now, the National Weather Service says travelers can expect ideal conditions through Thanksgiving, with sunny skies and highs near 55°F through Friday. Roads along I-40 and I-17 will stay dry and clear, offering smooth travel across the region and into the high country.
But change is coming. A Pacific trough building late Saturday will drag cooler air eastward, bringing a chance of snow showers Sunday into Monday, especially above 6,500 feet. While major accumulation isn’t expected yet, early indications point to light snow mixing with rain by Sunday afternoon — a reminder that December’s chill is closing in.
Daytime highs will drop from the mid-50s into the low 40s, and nighttime lows will sink into the 20s, prompting an early-season freeze risk for mountain valleys.
The bigger weather story may follow shortly after: long-range models hint at a major Arctic front sweeping south December 1–5, with widespread snow, below-normal temperatures, and possible travel slowdowns across much of the western and central U.S.
For northern Arizona, it’s a classic late-November transition — a bright, calm Thanksgiving giving way to the first real whispers of winter. Travelers heading home early next week should keep an eye on updated snow and temperature trends as the season’s first true cold snap develops across the West.
