Heavy Snow in Idaho, December 20 to 21, 1996

Name: Heavy Snow in Idaho, December 20 to 21, 1996
Start: 1996-12-20T06:00
End: 1996-12-21T10:00
Location: Idaho

December 20 to 21, 1996 · NWS BOI · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A winter storm moving through the state on December 20th through the 21st produced heavy snow over much of the South. Ten inches of snow fell at the Boise Air Terminal.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOI wrote it up.

A winter storm moving through the state on December 20th through the 21st produced heavy snow over much of the South. Ten inches of snow fell at the Boise Air Terminal. This became the 2nd highest total for a twenty-four hour event. Other totals ranged from 5 to 8 inches across the entire South. Some of the higher totals included: 9 inches at Garden Valley in Boise county and 8 inches in Elmore, Canyon, Cassia, Bannock, Teton, Caribou and Fremont counties. Across the Pocatello area, including Blackfoot 6 to 8 inches of snow fell.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, West Central Mountains

When: December 20, 6:00 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where: West Central Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.543, -116.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lower Treasure Valley

When: December 20, 6:00 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where: Lower Treasure Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.746, -116.564 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Boise Mountains

When: December 20, 6:00 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where: Boise Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.602, -115.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Treasure Valley

When: December 20, 6:00 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Treasure Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.129, -115.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southwest Highlands

When: December 20, 6:00 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where: Southwest Highlands forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.582, -116.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Snake Highlands

When: December 20, 10:00 AM MST to December 21, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Upper Snake Highlands forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Caribou Highlands

When: December 20, 10:00 AM MST to December 21, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Caribou Highlands forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Lower Snake River Plain

When: December 20, 10:00 AM MST to December 21, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Lower Snake River Plain forecast zone

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Idaho in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Idaho, December 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5579554, 5579555, 5579556, 5579557, 5579558, 5579559, 5579560, 5579561.