40+ photos of snow in Tucson over the years
Mt. Lemmon has snow on it once again and more is expected going into the weekend.Β
Here is a look back over the decades of just how excited Tucsonans can get when the rare white flakes come to town:
What snow means to Tucson
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University of Arizona students spilled out of their fraternities and dormitories for an impromptu snowball fight during the first snowfall in five years, in February 1956. From the book "Jack Sheaffer's Tucson 1945-1965."
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Snow-laden trees in Marshall Gulch make for a nice winter scene on Jan. 3, 1963.Β
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What snow means to Tucson
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A weekend of winter storm activity left a two-foot blanket of snow on Mt. Lemmon in February 1965. Thousands of Tucsonans made their way up the slopes after roads were cleared.
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A snowplow in action at Summerhaven and a group pushing a wheel-spinning car on January 3, 1963.
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Mt. Lemmon's winter snowfall normally is 100 inches and at the time of this January 1955 picture, two falls had accumulated 36 inches on the level. Before the week was out another foot or so had fallen.Β
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His head turned over his shoulder, instructor Ben Van Inwegen shows a class how to perform a movement know to skiers as a "glunder spring" in March 1965. Nine instructors are available for lessons.
What snow means to Tucson
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What snow means to Tucson
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What snow means to Tucson
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A car almost completely covered with snow photographed in front of the Mt. Lemmon Inn at the Bavarian Village on Jan. 3, 1963.
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Undated Tucson Citizen file photo.
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Large innertubes known as "whirlybirds" make ideal toboggans for youngsters using the Snow Bowl's play area on March 21, 1965.
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Undated Tucson Citizen file photo.
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Ellen Wiesnet, 3 demonstrates her skiing ability for her father, Donald Weisnet on Mt. Lemmon on March 21, 1965.
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Snow flurries on Nov. 30, 1962 in the Catalina Mountains tried to give the Summerhaven resort area atop Mt. Lemmon a preview of a white Christmas. But warmer temperatures melted the six-inch snowfall to a soggy two inches by morning.
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Old Man Winter laid a 14-inch white blanket over the upper levels of Mt. Lemmon on Dec. 12, 1965. Despite the snowfall, and several rockslides, the highway was kept open.Β
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Mar. 22, 1965: Somebody once described a ski run as the distance between the top of a mountain and the bottom of a hot chocolate. This picture shows one of the ski slopes and the lift apparatus at the Mount Lemmon Snow Bowl.
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On skis made especially for her, three-year-old Lee Lawrence practices a snow plow stop Feb. 7, 1955 under the expert tutelage of her father, Renn Lawrence, instructor in military science and tactics at the University of Arizona. Lee was born in Austria while her father was on duty here. But starting her in "almost as soon as she could walk."Β
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Snow capped Santa Catalina Mountains give the appearance of downtown Tucson a similar look to Salt Lake City. Photo by David Sanders. Jan. 7, 1997.
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85 year old Fairy Belle Buckner sweeps inches of snow off her car in Oracle, Arizona, where she's visiting her grandson. Photo taken Jan. 7, 1997, by Linda Seeger Salazar/Arizona Daily Star.
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Shea Freeland of Tucson flies through the air in a spray of snow as her homemade sled flips her Jan. 3, 2000. Photo by Aaron J. Latham/Arizona Daily Star.
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Scott Miller, 18, catches some air coming off a hill on Mt. Lemmon. Photo by Sarah Prall/Arizona Daily Star. Dec. 6, 1998.
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People help push a car that was stuck in the snow on Mt. Lemmon, near Bear Canyon. Oct. 26, 1996. Photo by James S. Wood/Arizona Daily Star
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Matt Smith, right, and Rick Vega, left, build a snow dog at the Molino Canyon overlook on the Catalina Highway in 1996. Jeffry Scott/Arizona Daily Star
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Krista Hayes throws a snowball at Noah Curtis, both of Tucson, as they enjoy some horseplay at Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley in eight inches of new snow Jan. 3, 2000. Photo by Aaron J. Latham/Arizona Daily Star
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Lea Patterson gets chains ready to put on her car Jan. 6, 1996, after more than a foot of snow fell in Summerhaven. Jeffry Scott/Arizona Daily Star
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A snowy winter scene is outlined by a storm drain that runs below the Mt Lemmon Highway at Bear Wallow. Photo by A.E. Araiza/Arizona Daily Star 1996
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Two feet of snow covered the ground near Molino Basin Feb. 28, 1997. Sergey Shayevich/Arizona Daily Star
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Chris Redman, 18, and a friend take a break from sledding to make some snow angels on Mount Lemmon. Jan. 9, 1997. Photo by Sarah Prall/Arizona Daily Star
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Destrie Coronado sticks his tongue out with a vengence trying to catch the falling flakes April 4, 1999. Sarah Prall/Arizona Daily Star
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Schreen Raboza, 12, slides down a hill off the Catalina Highway on Mt. Lemmon. March 6, 2000. Photo by Joshua Trujillo/Arizona Daily Star
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Wyatt Eaker, 9, hugs a snow saucer as he hurls himself down a snow-covered hill during a sledding expedition on Mount Lemmon. Jan. 9, 1997. Sarah Prall/Arizona Daily Star
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Jan. 2, 2000. Photo by Benjie Sanders/Arizona Daily Star
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A Christmas Day snowfall in Tucson Dec. 25, 1987. Photo by Mari Schaefer/Arizona Daily Star
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First time skier Vanessa Murzi explores the horizontal aspects of skiing as she takes advantage of the recent snow on Mount Lemmon April 5, 1999. Sarah Prall/Arizona Daily Star
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A lone snowboader glides downward toward the ski lift at Mt. Lemmon Jan. 9, 1997. Sarah Prall/Arizona Daily Star
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Saguaro National Monument West with snow-capped saguaros at Gates Pass. April 4, 1999. Benjie Sanders/Arizona Daily Star
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Armando and Dominique Dominguez, 11 and 9, enjoy the winter storm's snowfall in Oracle by building a snowman in the front yard. Jan. 12, 2001. Sarah Prall/Arizona Daily Star
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Marvin Wenham who lives atop Mt. Lemmon sweeps snow off of the Mt. Lemmon ski lift deck Nov. 30, 1996. Photo by James S. Wood/Arizona Daily Star
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Ski Valley on the Mount Lemmon Oct. 27, 1996. Sergey Shayevich/Arizona Daily Star
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A sports utility vehicle slowly moves along a snow-covered road towards Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains March 7, 2000. Photo by A.E. Araiza/Arizona Daily Star
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Snow at University of Arizona - 1949
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