Editing Flagstaff, Arizona (section)

==Geography==
Flagstaff is the county seat of Coconino County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011|access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>  According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|63.9|sqmi|km2|1}}, of which only {{convert|0.03|sqmi|km2|2}} (0.08%) is water. Flagstaff lies at approximately {{convert|7000|ft|sigfig=3}} elevation, and is surrounded by the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in North America. It is in a mountainous area,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flagstaffarizona.org/flag_climate.html|title=Flagstaff: The destination for all seasons.|publisher=flagstaffarizona.org|access-date=October 8, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018095255/http://www.flagstaffarizona.org/flag_climate.html|archive-date=October 18, 2009}}</ref><ref name="pine">{{cite web|url=http://www.cpluhna.nau.edu/Biota/ponderosa_forest.htm|title=Biotic Communities of the Colorado Plateau|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429131203/http://www.cpluhna.nau.edu/Biota/ponderosa_forest.htm |archive-date=April 29, 2015|publisher=[[Northern Arizona University]]|access-date=March 2, 2007}}</ref> and lies along the Rio de Flag watercourse.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/rio-de-flag-flood-control-project-receives-52-million-in-federal-funding/article_ad837711-a461-5b98-87ee-8c6781b3fc55.html|title=Rio de Flag flood control project receives $52 million in federal funding|first=Adrian|last=Skabelund|website=Arizona Daily Sun|date=February 12, 2020 |language=en|access-date=April 5, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910154223/https://azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/rio-de-flag-flood-control-project-receives-52-million-in-federal-funding/article_ad837711-a461-5b98-87ee-8c6781b3fc55.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It is about {{convert|130|mi|km}} north of the State capital, Phoenix.<ref name="Flagroads">{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Flagstaff,+AZ,+USA/@35.1811874,-111.6779994,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x872d8ef7da2e2631:0x8e1f3ca1cedbb300!8m2!3d35.1982836!4d-111.651302 |title=Flagstaff, Arizona |access-date=April 7, 2020}}</ref>

The geology of the area is in line with that of the [[Colorado Plateau]] on which it lies,<ref name=":23" /> with the [[Moenkopi Formation|Moenkopi red sandstone]] abundant in the city also used to build many of the distinctive buildings forming its cityscape. The cityscape of Flagstaff is its historic downtown area centered on Heritage Square, with the historic nature of its restored buildings and local theme iconic to the city and representative of its culture.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Stein|first=Pat H.|date=1987|title=Arizona Red, Flagstaff's sandstone industry|url=https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?&article=2389&context=nma|journal=UNM|pages=16–19|access-date=April 6, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719014427/https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2389&context=nma|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="themetown2" /> Flagstaff is one of the United States' sunniest and snowiest cities, with a variable "semi-arid" climate and a [[monsoon]] season in summer.<ref name=":29">{{Cite journal|last1=Staudenmaier|first1=Mike Jr.|last2=Preston|first2=Reginald|last3=Sorenson|first3=Paul|last4=Johndrow|first4=Justin|date=2014|title=NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS WR-273 Climate of Flagstaff, Arizona (Revision 7)|url=https://www.weather.gov/media/wrh/online_publications/TMs/TM-273.pdf|journal=Science and Technology Infusion Division|location=Salt Lake City|publisher=NOAA National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Office, Flagstaff Arizona|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022151028/https://www.weather.gov/media/wrh/online_publications/TMs/TM-273.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The San Francisco Peaks are a main aspect of Flagstaff's local geography and can be seen from everywhere in the city. [[Humphreys Peak]] is the highest point in Arizona at {{convert|12637|ft|m}}. Several trails around the peaks provide views of the Grand Canyon. While the most popular access point is [[Arizona Snowbowl]] (southwest face), the peaks can also be approached from the north and east.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arizonahighways.com/explore/scenic-drives/san-francisco-peaks-loop|title=San Francisco Peaks Loop|date=September 7, 2017|website=Arizona Highways|language=en|access-date=April 8, 2020|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807094750/https://arizonahighways.com/explore/scenic-drives/san-francisco-peaks-loop|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":24">{{Cite web|url=https://www.arizona-leisure.com/san-francisco-peaks.html|title=San Francisco Peaks {{!}} Flagstaff Arizona|website=www.arizona-leisure.com|access-date=April 8, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804082901/https://arizona-leisure.com/san-francisco-peaks.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The peaks are about {{convert|10|mi|km|abbr=}} northwest of downtown Flagstaff, with the Snowbowl resort just southwest of Humphreys Peak.<ref name="Flagroads" /> The wildlife of the peaks include [[mule deer]], [[elk]], [[turkey vulture]]s, and [[American black bear|black bears]], all visible from public trails.<ref name=":24" />

===Geology and topography===
{{main|Astrogeology Research Program|Colorado Plateau#Geology|Geology of the Grand Canyon area|San Francisco volcanic field}}
[[File:Grand-canyon-stones.jpg|thumb|upright|Local rock [[Stratum|strata]] monument in Heritage Square of downtown Flagstaff|alt=Rock sculpture]]

Flagstaff lies on the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, and is largely [[limestone]] under [[San Francisco volcanic field]]. The oldest rock types of the area are part of North America's original crust, [[Precambrian]] [[granite]] and [[schist]] from 1.7 to 1.8 billion years ago. On top of this is [[Paleozoic]] [[sandstone]], limestone, [[shale]] and [[siltstone]] deposited on what was then (544 to 248 million years ago) different surfaces, including a shallow seabed, muddy land, and sandy desert. The rock layers from this period are (bottom to top): [[Tapeats Sandstone]], [[Bright Angel Shale]] and [[Muav Limestone]], [[Martin Formation]], [[Redwall Limestone]], [[Supai Group]], [[Coconino Sandstone]], [[Toroweap Formation]], and [[Kaibab Limestone]]. The last three of these are still exposed. On top of the Paleozoic rock is [[Mesozoic]] Moenkopi Formation, from 248 to 65 million years ago. Other Mesozoic layers formed on top of this, but were eroded away. In the Flagstaff area, layers of rock from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras accumulated up to {{convert|10000|ft|m}} deep, but most of this was eroded.<ref name=":23">{{Cite book|last=Bezy|first=John V.|url=https://friendsoftheriodeflag.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Bezy-J.V.-2003-A-guide-to-the-geologt-of-the-Flagstaff-area.-Arizona-Geological-Survey.pdf|title=A guide to the geology of the Flagstaff area|publisher=Arizona Geological Survey|year=2003|isbn=1892001179|location=Tucson, AZ|oclc=53701547|access-date=April 8, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923192035/https://friendsoftheriodeflag.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Bezy-J.V.-2003-A-guide-to-the-geologt-of-the-Flagstaff-area.-Arizona-Geological-Survey.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> A soft basalt layer covers some of the rock at the surface.<ref name=":23" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www2.nau.edu/~gaud/RiodeFlag/rdf_geology.htm|title=Rio de Flag: Geology|website=www2.nau.edu|access-date=April 8, 2020|archive-date=November 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130134022/http://www2.nau.edu/~gaud/RiodeFlag/rdf_geology.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Moenkopi Formation red sandstone is a distinctive feature of Flagstaff, as it was used as a building material from the 1880s because of its fire retardant properties. The source used for quarrying most of this rock was a deposit 1 mile east of the town, which fell under the control of Charles Begg in 1887, who then began selling the stone across the southwest – after he made a successful sale in California that expanded the business, he was replaced in 1888 by a master quarryman. While it was used as building material across the West, some of Flagstaff's most prominent buildings are famous for the stone, including the Bank Hotel,<ref name=":2" /> Weatherford Hotel, Babbitt Brothers Building, Coconino County Courthouse,<ref name="themetown2" /> and various NAU buildings, including Old Main.<ref name=":2" />

In the [[Laramide orogeny]], which began about 65–75 million years ago, the [[Western United States]] underwent stress in rock formation; in the [[Four Corners]] region this pushed up the preexisting layers and ultimately formed the Colorado Plateau (and the [[Rocky Mountains]]). Around Flagstaff more specifically, this process deformed flat rock layers into folds, and allowed surface rivers to cut deep canyons in the younger rock layers. From about 25 million years ago, more [[Fault (geology)|faults]] were broken again in Flagstaff, and volcanic activity began about 6 million years ago with [[magma]] flowing up these faults to create [[Lava|lava flows]]. [[Types of volcanic eruptions|Eruptions]] occurred between 3 million and 1,000 years ago, affecting the Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks. The city's Mount Elden is a [[lava dome]] made of [[dacite]], Sunset Crater is the youngest feature of the San Francisco volcanic field and formed in the last 1,000 years by an [[explosive eruption]], while S P Crater was formed between 75,000 and 70,000 years ago by piles of [[lapilli]] and [[volcanic bombs]] spouting from a [[lava lake]].<ref name=":23" />

In the 1960s, the geology and topography of the Flagstaff area, including formations like Meteor Crater, was seen as similar to environments that would be encountered on the Moon in terms of [[planetary geology]]. The [[Astrogeology Research Program]] was therefore moved to Flagstaff in 1962, with the program completing in 1963, to train astronauts.<ref name="Rocky Moon 1993">{{cite web|url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/rockyMoon/|title=To a Rocky Moon: A Geologist's History of Lunar Exploration|last=Wilhelms|first=Don|date=1993|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=November 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107065945/http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/rockyMoon/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last1=Vaughan|first1=R. Greg|title=Walk in the footsteps of the Apollo astronauts: A field guide to northern Arizona astronaut training sites|date=2019|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/2196/chapter/122801792|work=Geologic Excursions in Southwestern North America|publisher=Geological Society of America|language=en|doi=10.1130/2019.0055(12)|isbn=978-0813756554|access-date=April 9, 2020|last2=Schindler|first2=Kevin|last3=Stevens|first3=Jeanne|last4=Hough|first4=Ian|s2cid=211649702|archive-date=February 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213103721/https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/2196/chapter/122801792|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Climate===
[[File:Arizona Köppen.svg|thumb|Köppen map of Arizona ([[Oregon State University]], 2016)|alt=See caption]]

Flagstaff's climate type on the [[Köppen climate classification]] system is variously reported as a [[Mediterranean climate#Warm-summer Mediterranean climate|warm dry-summer Mediterranean climate]] (''Csb''),<ref name=":27">{{Cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=557327&cityname=Flagstaff,+Arizona,+United+States+of+America|title=Flagstaff, Arizona Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202154407/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=557327&cityname=Flagstaff,+Arizona,+United+States+of+America|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":28">{{Cite journal |last1=Chase|first1=John|last2=Fouquier|first2=Jennifer|last3=Zare|first3=Mahnaz|last4=Sonderegger|first4=Derek L.|last5=Knight|first5=Rob|last6=Kelley|first6=Scott T.|last7=Siegel|first7=Jeffrey|last8=Caporaso|first8=J. Gregory|date=April 26, 2016|editor-last=Gilbert|editor-first=Jack A.|title=Geography and Location Are the Primary Drivers of Office Microbiome Composition|journal=mSystems|language=en|volume=1|issue=2|pages=e00022–16, /msys/1/2/e00022–16.atom|doi=10.1128/mSystems.00022-16|issn=2379-5077|pmc=5069741|pmid=27822521}}</ref> a [[Humid continental climate#Warm summer subtype|Hemiboreal climate]] (''Dsb''<ref name=":28" /> and ''Dfb''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/arizona-usa-climate|title=Arizona, USA – Climate data and average monthly weather|website=Weather Atlas|publisher=Yu Media Group|language=en|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917051628/https://www.weather-us.com/en/arizona-usa-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>), and a [[Semi-arid climate#Cold semi-arid climates|cold semi-arid climate]] (''BSk'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/KFLG|title=Flagstaff Pulliam Airport – SKYbrary Aviation Safety|website=www.skybrary.aero|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719014427/https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/KFLG|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Newnham|first=E. V.|date=1933|title=Meteorology |journal=Science Progress (1933- )|volume=28|issue=110|pages=284–286|jstor=43410836|issn=0036-8504}}</ref> It is consistently described as "semi-arid".<ref name=":28" /><ref name=":30">{{Cite thesis |last=Weeks |first=Michael A. |date=May 2007 |title=Constructing winter: Flagstaff and the culture of snow, 1937–1990 |type=MA thesis |publisher=Northern Arizona University |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/34174171 |access-date=April 10, 2020 |archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719014515/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/34174171_Constructing_winter_Flagstaff_and_the_culture_of_snow_1937-1990 |url-status=live |oclc=156878877}}</ref> Flagstaff's Köppen type is recorded as ''Dsb'' in the city center, with areas of ''BSk'', ''Csb'', ''Csa'' ([[Mediterranean climate#Hot-summer Mediterranean climate|hot-summer Mediterranean]]), ''Cwa'' ([[Humid subtropical climate|monsoon-influenced humid subtropical]]), ''Cwb'' ([[Oceanic climate|subtropical highland]]), ''Dwa'' ([[Humid continental climate#Hot summer subtype|monsoon-influenced hot summer humid continental]]), ''Dwb'' ([[Humid continental climate#Warm summer subtype|monsoon-influenced warm summer humid continental]]), and ''Dsa'' ([[Humid continental climate#Hot summer subtype|Mediterranean-influenced hot summer humid continental]]) on the outskirts and bordering the city; it is mostly ''Dsb'', ''BSk'', and ''Csb''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.plantmaps.com/koppen-climate-classification-map-united-states.php|title=Interactive United States Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Map|website=www.plantmaps.com|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=October 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011214712/https://www.plantmaps.com/koppen-climate-classification-map-united-states.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

The hottest temperature on record is {{convert|97|F|C}} in July 1973.<ref name=FlagstaffNOAA>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=fgz|title=NOWData Flagstaff, AZ, forecast office|publisher=[[NOAA]]|access-date=August 5, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206083626/https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=fgz|url-status=live}}</ref> This is far below a normal summer day in lowland areas of the state. The coldest temperature on record is {{convert|-30|F|C}} in January 1937.<ref name=FlagstaffNOAA/> Warm summer nights are very uncommon with the all-time record being {{convert|68|F|C}} in July 2002 and a regular summer averages a very mild {{convert|59|F|C}} for the warmest low.<ref name=FlagstaffNOAA/> Cold daily maximums are occasional, but rarely severe. The record low high is {{convert|5|F|C}} from January 1963, but the mean for the coldest maximum is relatively close to freezing at {{convert|24|F|C}}.<ref name=FlagstaffNOAA/>

Like most of the state, Northern Arizona experiences a summer monsoon season from July to September,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/fgz/Monsoon|title=Northern Arizona Monsoon Season|last=US Department of Commerce|first=NOAA|website=www.weather.gov|language=EN-US|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=June 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624215112/https://www.weather.gov/fgz/Monsoon|url-status=live}}</ref> with Flagstaff's wettest months being July and August, and its driest being June, all in the summer;<ref name=":27" /> Mediterranean climates have [[wet season]] only in the winter.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dallman|first=Peter R.|title=Plant life in the world's Mediterranean climates: California, Chile, South Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean Basin|date=1998|publisher=California Native Plant Society|isbn=0520208080|location=Sacramento, CA|oclc=38206653}}</ref> Mediterranean climate categorization does not consider snowfall.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Harding |first=Andrew E. |date=2006 |title=Changes in Mediterranean Climate Extremes: Patterns, Causes, and Impacts of Change |chapter-url=https://crudata.uea.ac.uk/cru/pubs/thesis/2006-harding/MCE.2.pdf |chapter=The Mediterranean environment |type=PhD thesis |publisher=[[University of East Anglia]] |page=44 |access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128015618/https://crudata.uea.ac.uk/cru/pubs/thesis/2006-harding/MCE.2.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>  Semi-arid climates will receive {{convert|10-20|in|mm}} of annual rainfall,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-characteristics-of-a-semi-arid-climate-pattern.html|title=What Are The Characteristics Of A Semi-arid Climate Pattern?|website=WorldAtlas|date=November 13, 2017|language=en|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=May 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518184748/https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-characteristics-of-a-semi-arid-climate-pattern.html|url-status=live}}</ref> while Flagstaff experiences more.{{efn|See climate data table.|name=climate table}}

Flagstaff's [[hardiness zone]] is mostly 6a, with some areas 5b, meaning plants withstand temperatures down to {{convert|-15|F|C}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.plantmaps.com/hardiness-zones-for-flagstaff-arizona|title=Flagstaff, Arizona Hardiness Zones|website=www.plantmaps.com|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202062325/https://www.plantmaps.com/hardiness-zones-for-flagstaff-arizona|url-status=live}}</ref> It is in the Transition [[life zone]];<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.geo.arizona.edu/Antevs/biomes/azlifzon.html|title=Arizona Life Zones|publisher=Arizona State University|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112014717/https://www.geo.arizona.edu/Antevs/biomes/azlifzon.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the concept of life zones was first observed in the Flagstaff area.<ref>{{Cite book|last=McColl|first=R. W.|title=Encyclopedia of world geography|publisher=Facts On File|year=2005|isbn=978-0816072293|volume=1, A-G|location=New York|oclc=85844781}}</ref> Wind in Flagstaff typically blows southwesterly throughout the year, based on topographical features.<ref name=":29" /> The city's climate data is observed from Flagstaff Pulliam Airport.<ref name=":31">{{Cite journal|last=Hereford|first=Richard|date=2007|title=Climate Variation at Flagstaff, Arizona – 1950 to 2007|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282031501|journal=United States Geological Survey|volume=Open File Report 2007-1410|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719014436/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282031501_Climate_Variation_at_Flagstaff_Arizona--1950_to_2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

The city receives precipitation every year, with two distinct wet periods in the summer and winter; the summer monsoon season accounts for 34% of annual rainfall, with the winter producing 28%. The summer monsoon season, originating from the Mexican monsoon period, is also wetter than winter, with an average {{convert|7|in|mm}} compared to the winter's {{convert|6|in|mm}}. Before the summer monsoon each year there is a dry period in May and June. Long-term average precipitation is {{convert|21.6|in|mm}} annually, with much heavier rainfall attributed to [[El Niño]] events. Comparatively, [[La Niña]] events have caused below-average rainfall.<ref name=":31" />

Since 1996 the city has been experiencing its driest period, known as the Early-21st Century Drought. As of 2007,{{Update inline|date=February 2023|?=yes|reason=Is there more recent coverage of Flagstaff's drought status?}} Richard Hereford of USGS speculated that the effects of the drought, predicted to last until the late 2020s, may be severe because of Flagstaff's growing population and [[global warming]]. The summer wet season is more reliable and consistent than other times of year, but due to the high temperatures of the area this rainfall is quickly lost to evaporation. During the Early-21st Century Drought, rainfall has been consistently below average in all but the summer season, with temperature averages for all but the summer (which has remained consistent) also increasing.<ref name=":31" />

Equally, snowfall has been lower during the extended dry period,<ref name=":31" /> though the city set a new record for its highest daily snowfall on February 21, 2019, with {{convert|35.9|in|cm}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://weather.com/news/news/2019-02-22-flagstaff-arizona-one-day-snowfall-record|title=Flagstaff, Arizona, Shatters Century-Plus Old All-Time Snowiest Day Record|website=The Weather Channel|language=en-US|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=February 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204130845/https://weather.com/news/news/2019-02-22-flagstaff-arizona-one-day-snowfall-record|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Cappucci|first=Matthew|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/02/22/highly-unusual-event-leaves-arizona-digging-out-inch-snowfall-that-shattered-records/|title='Highly unusual event' leaves Arizona digging out from a {{convert|36|inch|adj=on}} snowfall that shattered records|date=February 22, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=April 9, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=February 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225083231/https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/02/22/highly-unusual-event-leaves-arizona-digging-out-inch-snowfall-that-shattered-records/|url-status=live}}</ref> and was still ranked as the United States' third-snowiest city in 2020 (based on 2018–19 [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] data). Flagstaff has consistently been among the snowiest cities in the United States,<ref name="FLG_snowfall">
{{cite web|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/snowfall.html|title=Snowfall&nbsp;– Average Total in Inches|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030216070327/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/snowfall.html|archive-date=February 16, 2003|access-date=January 28, 2011}}</ref> and snow and winter culture is argued by Michael Weeks to be a large part of Flagstaff's identity.<ref name=":30" /> The Arizona Snowbowl is a major attraction, though it has had to make artificial snow during warmer seasons, and the city tried to launch a bid to be the host city of the [[1960 Winter Olympics]].<ref name=":30" /> The maximum daily snow cover was {{convert|83|in|cm}} on December 20, 1967, although the mean maximum for a full winter is only {{convert|20|in|cm}}. However, due to the infrequent and scattered nature of the snowstorms, persistent [[snowpack]] into spring is rare.<ref name="community_profile2" /> One notable exception occurred during the severe winter of 1915–16, when successive Pacific storms buried the city under over {{convert|70|in|cm|0}} of snow, and some residents were snowbound in their homes for several days.<ref name="NWS">"[http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/general/history/index.php?page=top Arizona’s Most Notable Storms] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519195508/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/general/history/index.php?page=top |date=May 19, 2011 }}." ''[[National Weather Service]].'' Retrieved on July 18, 2007.</ref> The earliest seasonal trace of snowfall occurred on September 19, 1965, and the latest on May 29 in both 1971 and 1990.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Earliest and Latest Snowfalls in Flagstaff History |url=https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/flagstaff/early-late-snow |access-date=May 22, 2023 |website=www.extremeweatherwatch.com |archive-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522180242/https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/flagstaff/early-late-snow |url-status=live }}</ref>

Though one of the least-sunny cities in Arizona,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/annual-days-of-sunshine.php|title=Annual Days of Sunshine in Arizona – Current Results|publisher=www.currentresults.com|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219080608/https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/annual-days-of-sunshine.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Flagstaff still ranks among the United States' sunniest cities, having sunshine for an average 78% of the year.<ref name=":29" /> The city receives much more sunshine than other snowy cities, which are primarily in the north of the country.<ref name="TWC">{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USAZ0068|title=Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information|publisher=The Weather Channel|access-date=February 17, 2009|archive-date=February 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208045714/http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USAZ0068|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Seasonal weather====
There are four seasons in Flagstaff, with cool to cold winter temperatures averaging {{convert|45|F|C}} and warm summer temperatures averaging {{convert|80|F|C}}, much cooler than much of Arizona; the average annual snowfall is {{convert|97|in|cm}}.<ref name=":31" /> Spring begins in April with cool or comfortable weather. Sometimes, snow reappears in May, but the spring period is typically mild and dry, lasting until early June. The summer is warm, measured between days when freezing temperatures occur, beginning in June – the last freezing temperature generally in early June – and ending in September. Flagstaff's summer will receive a few days of daytime temperatures above {{convert|90|F|C}}, with much cooler nighttime temperatures typically in the region of {{convert|40|F|C}}. Flagstaff's summers are also notable for the monsoon season in July and August, when thunderstorms occur almost daily. Thunderstorm activity happens mostly during the daytime.<ref name=":29" />

Freezing temperatures (below {{convert|32|F|C}}) return towards the end of September, with the mild fall season having daytime temperatures around {{convert|60|F|C}}.<ref name=":29" /> With its many trees, leaves do change color in Flagstaff's fall, with the change starting at the end of September and happening throughout October.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flagstaff.com/fall-leaf-colors|title=Best Fall Leaf Colors in Flagstaff {{!}} Fall Leaves in Northern AZ|website=www.flagstaff.com|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030133547/https://www.flagstaff.com/fall-leaf-colors|url-status=live}}</ref> Fall lasts only until the snow comes in November, with winter marked between periods of snowfall, typically from November until mid-April at the latest. Temperatures in winter are usually below freezing, going no higher than around {{convert|40|F|C}} in the day, even in sunshine. Nights can regularly plummet below {{convert|20|F|C}}. A combination of snow cover and [[high pressure]] occurring during winter months will cause the temperature to drop further, once reaching a record low of {{convert|-30|F|C}}. Flagstaff's winter wet season is caused by Pacific storms and lasts from November through April.<ref name=":29" />

{{Flagstaff, Arizona weatherbox}}
{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Flagstaff, Arizona.tab
| title=Flagstaff monthly weather statistics
}}

===Flora and fauna===
{{See also|The Arboretum at Flagstaff|Coconino National Forest}}

Flagstaff is an area "of great ecological variation" due to its diverse habitat life zones.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Stein|first=Walter T.|date=1964|title=Comparison and Analysis of Modern and Prehistoric Tree Species in the Flagstaff Area, Arizona|url=https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/259751|journal=Tree-Ring Bulletin|issn=0041-2198|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=November 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130115435/https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/259751|url-status=live}}</ref> Tree species abound the area, which covers three arboreal life zones: [[Douglas fir and aspen forest]], [[Yellow pine#Western United States|Ponderosa pine forest]], and [[Pinyon-juniper woodland]].<ref name=":3" /> It is at the heart of the Coconino National Forest. Within the Transition zone of the forest, including in the city, there are huge stands of ponderosa pine. Other species scattered among this region include [[Gambel oak]], [[quaking aspen]], and [[Rocky Mountain juniper]] trees.<ref name="Native Plants of Arizona">{{cite web|url=http://www2.for.nau.edu/azproject/main.html|title=Native Plants of Arizona|publisher=Northern Arizona University, School of Forestry|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526061103/http://www2.for.nau.edu/azproject/main.html|archive-date=May 26, 2006|access-date=August 13, 2006}}</ref>

The Coconino National Forest and Flagstaff are within the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in North America.<ref name="pine" /> Here, this tree type is formed as a [[climax forest]], with groups of trees containing different ages spread among the forest. Some of the groups are only a few trees, some are acres large; other groups are even-aged. The irregularity of the tree groups leaves natural openings in the forest, allowing for other plants to thrive. A grass cover of [[Arizona fescue]] grows around the area and shrub exists, but there are few other tree species. As well as the Gambel oak, quaking aspen, and juniper trees, [[Pinyon pine|pinyons]] can be found among the pines. Some of the open forest space contains [[bunchgrass]], and local animal species that roam on this include [[elk]], [[mule deer]], [[Merriam's Turkey]], and [[Abert's squirrel]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Clary|first=Warren P.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dYxQku8TGocC|title=Range management and its ecological basis in the ponderosa pine type of Arizona: the status of our knowledge|date=1975|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station|language=en|access-date=January 7, 2021|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719014512/https://books.google.com/books?id=dYxQku8TGocC|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[The Arboretum at Flagstaff|arboretum in Flagstaff]] has an extensive regional collection of the [[Penstemon|Penstemon genus]] and hosts an annual Penstemon Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publicgardens.org/programs/plant-collections-network/collections-showcase/penstemon-colorado-plateau-arizona-species|title=Penstemon – Colorado Plateau, Arizona species {{!}} American Public Gardens Association|website=www.publicgardens.org|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=February 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219140205/https://www.publicgardens.org/programs/plant-collections-network/collections-showcase/penstemon-colorado-plateau-arizona-species|url-status=live}}</ref>

Coconino is also home to a variety of bird species, which is further diversified by species from desert climates south of the Mogollon Rim still mixing in the area. The nearby lakes also attract wildlife. Birds that live around or visit Flagstaff include the [[thick-billed kingbird]], only documented in the area since 2016, the [[red-faced warbler]], a [[Madrean Region|Madrean]] species, and waterfowl including the [[Eurasian wigeon]] and [[American wigeon]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wilder|first=Jason A.|date=2017|title=Checklist of the Birds of Coconino County|url=http://arizonabirds.org/sites/default/files/articles/arizona-birds-online-checklist-birds-coconino-county.pdf|journal=Journal of Arizona Field Ornithologists|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-date=February 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218162751/http://arizonabirds.org/sites/default/files/articles/arizona-birds-online-checklist-birds-coconino-county.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cityscape===
{{see also|Downtown Flagstaff, Arizona}}

Flagstaff has a diverse cityscape and exists in distinct areas. [[Downtown Flagstaff, Arizona|Downtown Flagstaff]] is a "narrow and slender" area between the NAU campus at its south and the [[Museum of Northern Arizona]] at the north.<ref name="DK">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780756685577|title=Southwest USA & Las Vegas|date=2012|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|isbn=978-1405370646|edition=New|location=London|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780756685577/page/66 66]|oclc=779245027|url-access=registration}}</ref> Flagstaff is a smaller city, so its downtown is largely local and independent.<ref name=":26">{{Cite book|last=Paradis|first=Thomas W.|title=The themed space: locating culture, nation, and self|date=2007|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0739121412|editor-last=Lukas|editor-first=Scott A.|location=Lanham, MD|page=71|chapter=From Downtown to Theme Town|oclc=148926192}}</ref> The city's mall is found in East Flagstaff, as is a [[Harkins Theatres|Harkins]] movie theater and a [[country club]] and golf course. Residential properties in East Flagstaff are larger and more rural than other parts of the city. North West Flagstaff is directly north of downtown, and is where the Snowbowl and Museum of Northern Arizona are found. West Flagstaff encompasses the area south and west of downtown, including NAU and the [[Lake Mary (Arizona)|Lake Mary]] neighborhood. It also covers the airport and [[Fort Tuthill]] (county park and the Pepsi Amphitheater), being bordered to the south by the urban areas of [[Kachina Village]] and [[Mountainaire, Arizona|Mountainaire]]. Outside of the city proper, these urban areas have a "mountain-town feel".<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 8, 2018|title=The Guide: Moving to Flagstaff|url=https://flagstaff.momcollective.com/in-and-around-flagstaff/the-guide-moving-flagstaff/|access-date=July 20, 2020|website=Flagstaff Mom Collective|archive-date=August 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814143535/https://flagstaff.momcollective.com/in-and-around-flagstaff/the-guide-moving-flagstaff/|url-status=live}}</ref> Flagstaff has an "urban forest park", Buffalo Park,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/recarea/?recid=55138|title=Oldham Trail No. 1|website=USDA Forest Service|access-date=July 20, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719014514/https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/recarea/?recid=55138|url-status=live}}</ref> which sits on top of McMillan Mesa and used to be home to a zoo in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buffalo Park, AZ|url=https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=1000|access-date=July 20, 2020|website=HikeArizona|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803151257/https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=1000|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=March 2, 2017|title=Buffalo Park, McMillan Mesa, Flagstaff|url=https://www.afar.com/places/buffalo-park-mcmillan-mesa-flagstaff-flagstaff|access-date=July 20, 2020|website=www.afar.com|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022013358/https://www.afar.com/places/buffalo-park-mcmillan-mesa-flagstaff-flagstaff|url-status=live}}</ref> Buffalo Park/McMillan Mesa bisects the city, separating East Flagstaff from West Flagstaff and downtown.<ref name="Flagroads" />