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Rare Snowfall Turns Arizona Desert Into A Winter Wonderland

Updated September 8, 2021

The year has just started, but it seems like the world's already turned upside down. At least, it's easy to get that impression if you look outside because it's like somebody threw our normal winters into a blender.

As the Associated Press reported, temperatures in Anchorage, Alaska are actually creeping above freezing, while Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico are experiencing freeze warnings.

This not only means icy roads and closed schools, but some seriously amazing scenes that locals thankfully got on camera.

Snow and cacti really don't seem like they belong together, but it looks like the world is proving that wrong.

There's something amazing, yet somehow haunting about watching a seemingly endless desert blanketed with snow. It really makes each cactus stand out.

And just in case it all doesn't seem real, someone else got up close and personal with the desert plants.

I wouldn't be surprised if you could count the number of times this trail has been cold in the daytime on one hand.

Indeed, it's hard to find a better word to describe this scene than "magical."

If there's any way to make these rocks more beautiful, it apparently involves shrouding them in an icy mist that many folks have never seen there before.

And of course, somebody had to see what happens when the Grand Canyon turns into Santa's village.

Part of me wishes I could see it in person, but the big drop of the Grand Canyon made me nervous enough when I visited without adding slippery terrain to the mix.

Seeing such a bright white dusting on Arizona's usual orange scenery really makes it look like Arizonans are getting the best of both worlds.

Of course, that's probably because we're not seeing any shots of the traffic. If there's one thing that inevitably goes crazy when snow falls, that's it.