Blizzard in Idaho, December 14 to 15, 2000

An intense winter storm brought blizzard conditions to nearly all of southeastern Idaho from the evening of the 14th through the day on the 15th. Heavy snow began in the central mountains during the evening of the 14th. A woman died near Craters of the Moon National Monument in Butte County when she and her boyfriend ran out of gas and left the vehicle searching for help. She was unable to make it due to fatigue and her body was found on 12/16 at 3 am. Winds gusting to 70 mph in the early morning of the 15th caused power lines and trees to come down in Burley and Rupert. By the morning of the 15th, blizzard conditions encompassed most of southeast Idaho. Snow amounts of 6 to 8 inches were reported in Ketchum, Tetonia, Driggs, and Victor with 4 foot drifts in Soda Springs. Schools were closed on the 15th in many counties including Cassia, Jefferson, Teton, and Fremont.. Many road closures were reported during the day on the 15th due to the blizzard conditions including: US Highway 26 from east of Idaho Falls to the Wyoming border, Parts of Interstate 15 from Idaho Falls north to the Montana border, Interstate 84 from east of Burley to the Utah border, Idaho 77 from Connor Creek to Malta, and Idaho 32 from Ashton to Tetonia. Over 50 minor accidents and slideoffs were reported on interstates and highways through the day on the 15th with no significant injuries reported. During the day of the 15th wind gusts throughout the blizzard were widespread between 50 and 65 mph through all of southeast Idaho.