Idaho, 1997

Heavy Snow in Idaho, March 1 to 2, 1997

March 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS BOI · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

A major storm system moved through the state of Idaho beginning early morning on March 1st in the North and West and continuing through March 2nd. Six to twelve inches of new snow fell above 3500 feet in the North Panhandle, Couer d'Alene and Shoshone County zones.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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
15

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 major storm system moved through the state of Idaho beginning early morning on March 1st in the North and West and continuing through March 2nd. Six to twelve inches of new snow fell above 3500 feet in the North Panhandle, Couer d'Alene and Shoshone County zones. More impressively, 10 to 20 inches of new snow fell in the North and South Clearwater Mountains as well as the West Central Locations. Some totals include 17" at Fruitvale, 13" at McCall and 10" at Cambridge. Most other locations reported new snow totals in the six to ten inch range across the state. US Highway 95 between Council and New Meadows was closed during the day due to the heavy snow. In Driggs, schools were closed across the valley due to a foot of new snow.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Panhandle

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Northern Panhandle forecast zone
Coordinates
48.247, -116.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Coeur D'Alene Area

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Coeur D'Alene Area forecast zone
Coordinates
47.675, -116.700 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lewiston and the Palouse

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Lewiston and the Palouse forecast zone
Coordinates
47.017, -116.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Shoshone

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Shoshone forecast zone
Coordinates
47.265, -116.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Clearwater Mountains

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Northern Clearwater Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
46.674, -115.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Clearwater Mountains

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Southern Clearwater Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
45.844, -115.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Orofino/Grangeville Region

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Orofino/Grangeville Region forecast zone
Coordinates
46.259, -115.562 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lower Hells Canyon/Salmon River Region

When
March 1, 2:00 AM PST to March 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Lower Hells Canyon/Salmon River Region forecast zone
Coordinates
45.844, -115.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, West Central Mountains

When
March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 9:00 AM 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/Camas Prairie

When
March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Boise Mountains/Camas Prairie forecast zone
Coordinates
43.602, -115.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lower Treasure Valley

When
March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Lower Treasure Valley forecast zone
Coordinates
43.746, -116.564 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southwest Highlands

When
March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 9:00 AM 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
March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Snake Highlands forecast zone

Heavy Snow, South Central Highlands

When
March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 9:00 AM MST
Where
South Central Highlands forecast zone

Heavy Snow, E Bonneville/Se Bingham/Caribou/Banncock T X Nw

When
March 1, 3:00 AM MST to March 2, 9:00 AM MST
Where
E Bonneville/Se Bingham/Caribou/Banncock T X Nw 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

More

Every storm in Idaho in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, March 1997

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5595868, 5595869, 5595870, 5595871, 5595872, 5595873, 5596030, 5596031, 5596032, 5596033, 5596034, 5596035, 5596036, 5596037, 5596038.