Rare snowstorm creates stunning desert scene at national park in Arizona, photos show

When you picture the desert, snow-covered cactuses likely aren’t what comes to mind.

This week, however, a rare winter snowstorm hit near Saguaro National Park in Arizona and created a stunning desert scene, photos show.

“Snow is not only a beautiful desert rarity, but snow in the mountains melts slowly and seeps into the groundwater,” Saguaro National Park officials said on Facebook. “Each winter storm brings more slow-moving water that keeps our streams and springs flowing during the dry summer.”

The Tucson park typically sees mild winters. The average temperature during the day is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Park Service. At night, the temperature stays above freezing with an average of 40 degrees.

The storm Monday brought a light snow with large flakes to the Tucson area, according to the National Weather Service. In most places, the amount of snow stayed under 1 inch. Summerhaven, a town about 35 miles from the park, reported getting 25 inches of snow.

The snow is so rare in the region that some people didn’t know to expect it.

“I had no idea that you ever got snow in Saguaro NP,” one Facebook commenter said. “It is beautiful.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2021 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Rare snowstorm creates stunning desert scene at national park in Arizona, photos show."