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This weather warning is for AZ Freepers.
This is just in from the National Weather Service:
...The first winter storm of the season will bring valley rain and mountain snow early Friday.
* Impacts
Hazards to motorists due to strong winds and blowing dust Significant snow accumulations on high elevation roadways Widespread freezing temperatures
* Expected Weather Conditions
Gusty winds will develop late Thursday afternoon and Thursday night with southwest winds of 20 to 35 mph gusting to 45 mph. Blowing dust is possible including areas of Interstate 10 between Tucson and Casa Grande.
Showers will spread in from the west Thursday night with initial snow levels near 8000 feet falling to between 4000 and 5000 feet Friday morning. Preliminary storm total snowfall estimates range from 4 to 12 inches above 7000 feet, with heaviest amounts in the mountains of Graham and Greenlee counties. As snow levels bottom out Friday, up to 2 inches of snow is possible in Oracle at 4500 feet.
Clearing Friday night into Saturday morning with widespread freeze to hard freeze conditions across most of the area above 2500 to 3000 feet. Temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees possible in Eastern Pinal and Eastern Pima counties, with 20 to 30 degrees expected in the valleys of Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties.
* Confidence
Confidence is high for the track of the storm through Arizona with high confidence in both the chance of precipitation and snow levels. Still some question about available moisture and thus storm total snow amounts. Current forecast timing may be up to 6 hours too early if the system slows a little, which is possible considering the nature of the storm as it lifts through the area and current computer trends.
