The National Weather Service is predicting severe cold weather and dangerous travel conditions in Sedona, the Verde Valley and Northern Arizona’s high country, with the greatest impacts on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29.

y Friday evening, snow levels are expected to drop to 3,000 to 4,000 feet in elevation with high winds that could reach speeds of 40 mph, and a mix of icy rain and snow.

During winter storm and snow events, the Sedona Police Department is responsible for ensuring public safety while the Sedona Public Works Department monitors and responds to sometimes rapidly-changing roadway conditions,  according to a press release from the city of Sedona.

“We assess road conditions and hazard mitigation needs based on field reports, police reports, visual inspection, accident data and the availability of other agencies, such as the Arizona Department of Transportation, to provide additional equipment and operators,” stated Marty Macurak, Sedona communications manager.

This PDF includes a map that shows our snow removal and ice treatment priorities. The highest priority is safety / emergency evacuation routes and major highways, followed by neighborhood connectors, then smaller streets.  

Visit the National Weather Service for the latest forecast, use zip code 86336.

Visit the ADOT’s Az511 website for the latest state reports on roadway conditions.

“Above all, use good judgement and err on the side of safety,” Macurak stated. “If you don’t have to drive during a storm event, don’t drive. However, do move your car if it’s parked on the street and your street is snow-covered. Ask your guests and neighbors to do the same. Our drivers can’t plow areas that are blocked by vehicles.”

Snow events and snow removal

This PDF includes a map that shows our snow removal and ice treatment priorities. The highest priority is safety / emergency evacuation routes and major highways, followed by neighborhood connectors, then smaller streets.  

How does the city manage snow events and snow removal?

During snow events, the Police Department is responsible for ensuring public safety while the Public Works Department monitors and responds to sometimes rapidly-changing roadway conditions. When snow or ice storms are forecast, both departments begin planning; they assess personnel, equipment and materials inventories and project needs, assign staff members to duty or on-call status, and coordinate response plans.

The city has three vehicles that can operate with snow plow attachments and can spread cinders. Whether or not plows or cinders are used, or both, depends on ambient temperature, wetness or dryness of the snow, temperature of the pavement and whether or not the primary hazard is snow or ice.

Public Works staff members assess road conditions and hazard mitigation needs based on field reports, police reports, visual inspection, accident data and the availability of other agencies, such as the Arizona Department of Transportation, to provide additional equipment and operators.

Which streets get plowed or treated first? 

The city focuses first on emergency routes such as state routes 89A and 179, then addresses large neighborhood connectors, then smaller neighborhood streets. Priority areas on the state routes include those that are steep such as Cook’s Hill near the airport, Airport Road, Schuerman Hill near the Upper and Lower Red Rock Loop roads, and Mountain Shadows Drive.

Which roads are plowed by the city, and which by ADOT? 

State routes 179 and 89A outside of Uptown are managed by ADOT, but in a winter storm the state’s priorities are interstates I-17 and I-40. ADOT addresses state routes in Sedona only after it fulfills its most pressing safety responsibilities on the interstates and in other areas of Yavapai and Coconino counties. The city has an agreement with ADOT under which the Sedona Public Works Department agrees to mitigate storm hazards within city limits.

When and why are roads closed?

State routes 89A and 179 are the primary emergency routes in Sedona and are maintained to allow access for public safety purposes. The city will close roadways or require tire chains or use of four-wheel-drive vehicles on roads within city limits during severe storm events.

Why aren’t the streets clear yet? Why don’t I see a plow? Why don’t you have more plows?

Depending on conditions, streets that were just plowed may ice-over or accumulate new snow rapidly and require city operators to re-plow or re-cinder areas multiple times.

Because SR 89A and 179 are critical to public safety, these routes receive priority even if that means neighborhood streets must wait. Sedona’s topography presents special hazards during winter storms, not only for residents but city equipment operators, and work may go slowly to ensure the safety of personnel.

The city has three snow event vehicles that can host plow attachments. The relative infrequency of major snow events in Sedona makes the cost to purchase and maintain additional equipment an unwise investment because additional equipment would sit, unused and depreciating, in a city garage most winters. The cost of one dump truck/snow plow is in excess of $100,000.
Can the city mobilize other resources or get support from neighboring communities?

When large storms move into northern Arizona even mountain communities such as Flagstaff are challenged to keep up with conditions and must commit all available resources to maintaining their own streets. Most private equipment operators are busy clearing parking lots and private streets. The city does mobilize additional resources, including hiring contractors when available, but severe weather events will always create hazardous driving conditions.

Help the city help you: Prepare 

Use good judgement. If you don’t have to drive during a storm event, don’t drive. However, do move your car if it’s parked on the street, and ask your guests and neighbors to do the same. We can’t plow if there are cars in our way.

Prepare in advance: Get necessary medications and supplies, complete important errands and reschedule appointments. Watch weather forecasts and heed storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service.

Entire sections of highway in northern Arizona can close unexpectedly because of crashes and heavy snow. The safest option is always to wait out the storm. By staying off roads you help the city, county and state speed-up the clearing because a highway takes longer to plow when it’s jammed with accidents and stopped vehicles.

Check weather reports from the National Weather Service at weather.gov and get the latest highway conditions on ADOT’s travel information site at az511.gov.