Winter storm causing airport ground delays and highway closures
Winter storm brought rain and snow to Arizona
It has been a day of active weather for Arizona, with rain in the Phoenix area, and snow in the high country. We have team coverage of today's weather.
PHOENIX - A winter storm that is making its way across Arizona on March 7 is impacting travel in parts of the state.
The backstory:
The Phoenix area experienced rain Friday morning as a result of a weather system that is making its way through Arizona. According to forecasters with the National Weather Service, scattered showers are likely through the afternoon and into the evening hours on Friday for parts of the state.
What we know:
Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration say there is a ground delay at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport a result of the storm.
According to the advisory, "low ceiling" is being cited as the factor in the delay, and delays are averaging about 49 minutes.
"Low ceiling" is defined by the Weather Channel as a reference to low clouds or fog, both of which create conditions that are deemed to be too dangerous to fly.
We have reached out to officials with Sky Harbor for comment.
The storm is also being blamed for power outages in parts of Phoenix, with APS officials saying that over 2,600 of their customers are without power at one point Friday morning. As of 12:30 p.m., however, that number has dropped to 180.
ADOT officials, meanwhile, said the following highways are closed:
- I-17 north, between State Route 169 and the I-40 interchange.
- I-17 south near Munds Park.
- State Route 89A north, between Sedona and the I-17 interchange.
"Heavy snowfall in the area is making travel difficult and ADOT encourages motorists to delay travel plans until the winter storm passes. If conditions deteriorate, other highways may become impassable and be closed for public safety," read a portion of the statement.
The storm is also affecting sports events, with the Arizona Diamondbacks announcing the cancelation of their spring training game with the Los Angeles Angels.
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