Flagstaff, AZ – The National Weather Service is warning drivers across the Southwest — particularly in Utah, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico — to be alert for snow squalls this winter, brief but intense bursts of snow and wind that can cause whiteout conditions and flash-freeze roads within minutes.
Snow squalls typically form when strong cold fronts push across the higher terrain of the Colorado Plateau and the Four Corners region, producing short-lived but powerful snow showers and wind gusts over 40 mph. These events can reduce visibility to near zero and make highways like I-40, I-17, I-25, and U.S. 89 extremely dangerous, especially across elevations above 5,000 feet.
What Drivers Should Know:
- Visibility can drop to near zero within seconds.
- Roads can ice over instantly, especially in mountain passes and canyons.
- If a Snow Squall Warning is issued, delay travel or find a safe place to stop until it passes.
- Reduce speed, turn on headlights, and avoid sudden braking or lane changes.
According to the NWS, Snow Squall Warnings are short-term, high-impact alerts that typically last 30 to 60 minutes, covering specific travel corridors where conditions are rapidly deteriorating. Even though these bursts often produce less than two inches of snow, their combination of wind, low visibility, and freezing temperatures can be deadly for motorists.
Forecasters note that snow squalls are most common in late fall through early spring, when cold air surges south over the Rockies and Colorado Plateau. Regions such as Flagstaff, Farmington, Gallup, Moab, and Cedar City are among those most at risk.
Drivers traveling through I-40 in Arizona, I-70 in Utah, or I-25 in northern New Mexico should monitor NWS Snow Squall Warnings closely and remain alert to rapidly changing weather conditions.
For live updates, visit weather.gov/fgz, weather.gov/slc, or weather.gov/abq for local forecasts and real-time Snow Squall Warnings across the Southwest mountain corridor.
