I-40 · NM / AZ
I-40 from Albuquerque to Flagstaff: road conditions right now
Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, AZ
I-40 climbs from the desert to 7,000 feet at Flagstaff, and the 100 miles between Winslow and Williams see heavy snow every winter. Drivers heading to the Grand Canyon or Phoenix rarely expect it.
Conditions at Sat, 8:16 AM MDT
Highest risk along I-40: 1 of 5 (low), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Clear driving for the whole 4 h 25 min.
Conditions: Partly sunny, Sunny, Mostly cloudy and more
Checkpoints along I-40
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | Sat 9:00 AM | 52°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Laguna, NM | Sat 9:30 AM | 48°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Grants, NM | Sat 10:00 AM | 49°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Thoreau, NM | Sat 10:30 AM | 48°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Gallup, NM | Sat 11:00 AM | 53°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Houck, AZ | Sat 11:30 AM | 55°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Holbrook, AZ | Sat 12:00 PM | 59°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Winslow, AZ | Sat 12:30 PM | 60°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| LeChee, AZ | Sat 1:00 PM | 61°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Flagstaff, AZ | Sat 1:25 PM | 52°F | low | Sources differ: NWS says Slight Chance Rain Showers at 52°F |
Why this stretch is hard in winter
- Flagstaff averages 100 inches of snow a year; storms close I-40 and I-17 south of town for crashes.
- The Continental Divide near Gallup (7,275 ft) gets blowing snow and ice with strong crosswinds.
- Black ice at dawn on shaded curves between Winona and Flagstaff.
What this page checks
- Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
- Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
- Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
- Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
- Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
- Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.
Official sources for this corridor
Questions drivers ask about I-40
- Is I-17 from Flagstaff to Phoenix safe in snow?
- The first 40 miles south of Flagstaff stay above 5,000 ft and get the same snow. ADOT closes I-17 for crashes on the grades near Munds Park and Camp Verde. Check the I-17 corridor page for that leg.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass · I-84 through the Blue Mountains · I-15 over Cajon Pass · all corridors