Heavy Snow in Idaho, December 24 to 25, 1996

Name: Heavy Snow in Idaho, December 24 to 25, 1996
Start: 1996-12-24T22:00
End: 1996-12-25T14:00
Location: Idaho

December 24 to 25, 1996 · NWS BOI · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A winter storm began on Christmas Eve in Western Idaho. Heavy snow fell overnight, Cottonwood received 18 inches and 10-11 inches fell in Valley and Boise counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 began on Christmas Eve in Western Idaho. Heavy snow fell overnight, Cottonwood received 18 inches and 10-11 inches fell in Valley and Boise counties. On Christmas day, 6 to 9 inches fell in the Lewiston area, 9 inches fell at Grangeville, and 6 inches fell at Coeur d'Alene. The power was out most of the day in Northern Idaho. As the storm progessed eastward, several highways in the southeast were closed due to snow and blowing snow. Totals across Teton, Fremont and Bonneville counties ranged from 12 to 16 inches of snow. On December 26th, blizzard conditions continued in Northern Idaho, the heavy snow closed the Lewiston airport, postal workers couldn't complete their routes for the first time in 28 years, and roads were closed. In Nez Perce county, a county disaster was declared with nearly 2 feet of new snow falling. In the Southwest, Bogus Basin Ski Resort near Boise, was closed due heavy snow toppling 150 trees.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, West Central Mountains

When: December 24, 10:00 PM MST to December 25, 2:00 PM MST
Where: West Central Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.543, -116.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Boise Mountains

When: December 24, 10:00 PM MST to December 25, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Boise Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.602, -115.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Orofino / Grangeville Region

When: December 24, 10:00 PM MST to December 25, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Orofino / Grangeville Region forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.259, -115.562 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Idaho Palouse

When: December 24, 10:00 PM MST to December 25, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Idaho Palouse forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.017, -116.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Snake Highlands

When: December 25, 10:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Snake Highlands forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Caribou Highlands

When: December 25, 10:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Caribou Highlands 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: 5579723, 5579945, 5579946, 5579947, 5579948, 5579949.