GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - With blizzard-like conditions forecast for northern Arizona tonight (Dec. 7), officials at the Grand Canyon have cancelled a Community Open House, planned to begin tonight at 6:30 p.m. The event, featuring music from students at Grand Canyon School, as well as a number of Grand Canyon authors, will be rescheduled to later in the week or early next week. Keep watching grandcanyonnews.com for more information on the Community Open House.
School officials closed school early at the Grand Canyon today and are planning a two-hour delay tomorrow (Dec. 8), though Grand Canyon School Superintendent Cheryl Mobley urged parents to check with the school in the morning to be aware of any changes to the current schedule. Their Web site can be found online at www.grandcanyonschool.org.
National Park rangers closed Hermit Road (also known as West Rim Road) earlier today due to snowy, icy conditions and driving conditions that continue to deteriorate. All other roads are currently open, though park officials warn that drivers should be wary of icy, snow-packed conditions. Visitors to the South Rim are urged to use extreme caution when driving in and around the park.
Snow and some rain is expected through the night, with blizzard-like conditions expected at times. Accumulations of five to 10 inches are called for during the night. Nearly a foot of snow has already been reported in some areas of northern Arizona. Wind gusts are expected at around 15 to 20 miles-per-hour, with some gusts at 35 miles-per-hour. The snow level is expected at about 5,000 feet, decreasing in the evening hours to around 4,000 feet. Temperatures are expected to remain in the upper 30s. A chance of snow and rain is called for tomorrow following the tail end of the current winter storm, with mostly cloudy, windy conditions expected. High temperatures are expected to be around 29 degrees.
