Stunning photos show the Arizona desert covered in snow on New Year's Day

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Stunning photos show the Arizona desert covered in snow on New Year's Day

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Grand Canyon snow
  • The US Southwest is experiencing an unusual amount of snowfall and cold weather.
  • Some areas have seen the lowest high temperatures in five years.
  • Other areas that are usually cold, such as Alaska, had a relatively warm New Year's Day. 

Red rocks and saguaro cactus plants in the US Southwest were covered in snow this week, creating an unusual scene on New Year's Day. 

Western states have seen a lot more snow than the East Coast over the past month, and more high temperatures in the single digits are coming.

Glenn Lader, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Tucson, Arizona, told the Associated Press that the snow and cold is "quite uncommon" for the Southwest. 

Read more: Frigid temperatures chill southern Arizona, much of West

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Many stunning photos of the region have circulated since New Year's Day, showing the desert in a blanket of snow. Take a look at some of the images below.

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For the first time in five years, the low in Phoenix dropped to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and roughly 6 inches of snow fell in Tucson.

For the first time in five years, the low in Phoenix dropped to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and roughly 6 inches of snow fell in Tucson.

Source: Associated Press

Several schools and government agencies in Albuquerque, New Mexico, closed due to heavy snowfall and ice on the roads. The cold weather has even reached Southern California.

Several schools and government agencies in Albuquerque, New Mexico, closed due to heavy snowfall and ice on the roads. The cold weather has even reached Southern California.

Source: Associated Press

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Mayra Vazquez said she brought her children to Saguaro National Park East in Arizona on January 2. "It's the first time we've seen snow the desert," Vasquez said.

Source: Associated Press

Tucson, Arizona, sees very little snow each year. Since December 1, however, the area has been hit with more snow than New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC combined.

Source: Washington Post

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"It was pretty magical," Jessica Howard, who lives outside of Tucson, told the AP. "My social media feeds are like 100 percent snow pictures right now."

Source: Associated Press

On New Year's Day, the high temperature in Flagstaff, Arizona — 20 degrees — was the lowest in five years. The temperature went down even more on Thursday, dropping below zero in some areas.

On New Year's Day, the high temperature in Flagstaff, Arizona — 20 degrees — was the lowest in five years. The temperature went down even more on Thursday, dropping below zero in some areas.

Source: Washington Post

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Many roads in Arizona were closed on Monday, and the Arizona Department of Transportation said there was heavy traffic along state highways because of crashes and the weather.

Source: Arizona Daily Sun

Parts of the Grand Canyon National Park closed because of the ongoing partial government shutdown, but some of the park is still open to visitors.

Parts of the Grand Canyon National Park closed because of the ongoing partial government shutdown, but some of the park is still open to visitors.
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Alaska, meanwhile, experienced a warmer New Year's Day than unusual. More than 32 inches of snow fell in Anchorage during December 2018, but the temperature in the city rose to 42 degrees and melted some of the snow this week.

Alaska, meanwhile, experienced a warmer New Year's Day than unusual. More than 32 inches of snow fell in Anchorage during December 2018, but the temperature in the city rose to 42 degrees and melted some of the snow this week.

Source: Associated Press

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