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Postedon:November10,2015

CoconinoCountyPreparesforElNioWinter
TheNationalWeatherService(NWS)isforecastingawetterthannormalwinter
seasonforNorthernArizonaduetoastrongElNioweatherpatternthismeans
winterpreparednessismoreimportantthaninrecentyearsforCoconinoCounty
residents.

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Flagstaff,Ariz.TheNationalWeatherService(NWS)isforecastingawetterthan
normalwinterseasonforNorthernArizonaduetoastrongElNioweatherpattern
thismeanswinterpreparednessismoreimportantthaninrecentyearsfor
CoconinoCountyresidents.

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ElNioisaweatherphenomenoncharacterizedbyverywarmseasurface
temperaturesthatfillthejetstreamwithhighlevelsofmoistureresultinginmore
frequentstorms.TheNWSpredictsthatthiswintersElNiocouldbeoneofthe
strongestonrecord.Beyondmorefrequentstorms,thisweatherpatternbringsan
enhancedriskofheavysnowloadsandicedamformationsonroofs,andthethreat
ofhighwaterinprimarystreamsandrivers.StrongElNiowinterscanproduce
120160percentofnormalprecipitation.Historically,seasonalsnowfallsduringa
strongElNiohavereachedanaverageof135incheswellabovethe
approximately100inchesofsnowthatFlagstaffexperiencesduringanormal
winterseason.Thisisincontrasttorecentwinterswhichhadwellbelownormal
precipitation.

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CoconinoCountyResidentsShouldPrepareNowforElNio
Afterseveralconsecutivemildwinters,Countyresidentsneedtoprepareforthe
comingElNiowinterbydoingthefollowing:

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1.SignupforCodeREDemergencynotificationsat:
www.Coconino.az.gov/emergency
2.SecurePrivatePlowingServicesNow:TheCountycannotprovidesnowplowing
servicesforprivateroads.Ifyouliveonaprivateroad,thenconsidersecuringa
professionalplowingserviceassoonaspossible.EvenifyouliveonaCountyroad,
aplowingservicecanclearwindrowsanddriveways(servicesnotprovidedbythe
County).

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3.NoParkingonCountyRoads:CountyOrdinance866prohibitsmotoristsfrom
parkingoncountyroadwaysbetweenNov.1andApril1ona24hourbasis.
Residentsareaskedtoparktheirvehiclesfiveto10feetfromtheroadwaytoallow
ampleroomforsnowplowstopass.RemoveallprivateobjectsfromCountyrightof
way(i.e.:yardart,plantersandtrashbins).
4.PrepareYourHomeforExtendedSnowIns:ElNiowintersarecharacterized
bymorefrequentsnowevents,someofwhichcanlastseveraldays.Thesestorms
cancausepoweroutagesandsignificantlyhindertravel.Intheeventofabeing
strandedbyasnowin,itisimperativetohaveenoughsuppliesathometo
weatherthestorm.AllCountyresidentsshouldhavethefollowingonhand:
Threedaysofnonperishablefoodandwater(onegallonperdayperfamily
member)
Firstaidkitandextrasupplyofmedication
Personalhygienesupplies,extraclothing,footwear,gloves,blankets,sleeping
bags
Extrafoodforpetsandlivestock
Flashlight,extrabatteries,candlesandabatteryoperatedradio

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Alternateheatsource(kerosene,wood,etc.)
Fullpropanetank(ifapplicable)
Extrasetofcarkeys,cash,creditcards
Snowshovels
Anemergencyplanfortheentirefamily
5.WinterizeYourVehicle:Winterizeyourvehiclenow(antifreeze,wipers,battery,
snowtires)andstockitwithanemergencykitconsistingoftirechainsorcables,
blankets,towstrap,jumpercables,flashlight,water,firstaidkit,icescraper,extra
clothing,andappropriatetools.Remembertokeepyourgastankatleasthalffull
tohelppreventfreezinginthefuellines.
6.PlanTravelAccordingly:Goodwintertravelplanningiscriticalforthesafetyof
CoconinoCountyresidentsandvisitorsalike.Stayawareandinformedabout
incomingandongoingstormsthroughaweatherradioorbyvisitingtheNWS
websiteathttp://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz/.UsetheArizonaDepartmentof
Transportations(ADOT)www.az511.govsystemforinterstatetravelinformation
beforeyouleavehome.TheCountyencouragesallcitizenstoheedallNWSWinter
StormWatchesandWarningsandtostayofftheroadsasmuchaspossibleduring
astorm.Ifyoumusttravel,thenletsomeoneknowyourintendedrouteand
expectedtimeofarrival.
7.Call911forEmergencySituations:Intheeventofasnowrelatedemergency,
call911.FirstresponderswillcoordinatewithPublicWorksifplowingtothe
sceneofanemergencyisnecessary.
8.Purchase/RenewFloodInsuranceNow:TheriskfromElNiofloodingthiswinter
isreal.AseparatefloodinsurancepolicythroughtheNationalFloodInsurance
Program(NFIP)coversdamagetoyourhomeandbelongingscausedbyflooding.
Purchaseorrenewyourfloodinsurancethroughwww.floodsmart.govorbycalling
18007201093.Pleasenotethatwhenpurchasingafloodinsurancepolicy,there
isa30daywaitingperiodforcoveragetobecomeeffective.
9.AdditionalInformation:Forquestionsaboutsnowremovaloperationsand
relatedroadconditions,pleasecontactthefollowing:
CoconinoCounty:ForCountymaintainedroads,pleasecallPublicWorksat928
6798300duringnormalbusinesshours(7a.m.to3:30p.m.).
FollowCoconinoCountyonFacebookatwww.facebook.com/CoconinoCountyand
Twitteratwww.twitter.com/CoconinoCountyforupdatesonroadandweather
conditionsastheybecomeavailable.
CityofFlagstaff:Pleasecalleither9282132175or9287741605duringnormal
businesshours.
ArizonaDepartmentofTransportation(ADOT):Forhighwayroadconditions,
pleasecall511orvisitADOTsonlineTrafficOperationsCenterat
www.az511.gov.
NationalWeatherService(NWS):Forweatherinformationaboutwinterstorms,
pleasevisittheNWSwebpageatwww.weather.gov/flagstaff.
Emergencies:Toreportsnowrelatedroademergencies,pleasecall911.
CountyPublicWorksDepartmentGearsUpforElNio
CoconinoCountysPublicWorksDepartmenthasspentthelastseveralmonths
gearingupforwhatcouldbeaverywetElNiowinter.CountyPublicWorkshas
focuseditseffortsonprovidingtheresources,personnelandmaterialsnecessary
tokeepCountyroadsopenandpassableduringthecomingElNiowinter.
Akeyelementofthisstrategyhasbeenincreasedstaffingforthewinterseason.
TheDepartmenthasfilledseveralvacantoperatorpositionsandishiring
temporarysnowplowoperators.Inaddition,theCountyisutilizingitsexistingpool
ofprivatecontractorstoworkintheeventofsevereorprotractedsnowstorms.
PublicWorksalsohaspreppeditsplowtrucksandgradersandproducedroadand
icecontrolcindersfortractioncontrolonCountyroads.Alloftheseresourceshave
beenstrategicallysituatedincommunitiesaroundtheCounty.
BecauseElNioalsocanproduceexcessiverain,PublicWorkshassetupself
servesandbagstationsatfiredistrictstationsaroundtheCounty.
TheCountyprioritizesplowingoperationssothatmajorarterialandcollectorroads
areplowedfirstfollowedbyresidentialroads.ThisprotocolallowstheCountyto
servethegreatestnumberofresidentsandhelpfirstresponders,schoolbusesand
utilityvehiclesreachcommunitiesmorequickly.Formoreinformation,pleasevisit
theCountysSnowPlanpageatwww.coconino.az.gov/CountySnowPlan.
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