Idaho, 2003

Heavy Snow in Idaho, January 1 to 3, 2003

January 1 to 3, 2003 · NWS OTX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A moist southwest flow, known as a Pineapple Express, developed over north Idaho on New Year's Eve. This flow pattern persisted through the holiday weekend with the heavy snow accumulating in the higher mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 OTX wrote it up.

A moist southwest flow, known as a Pineapple Express, developed over north Idaho on New Year's Eve. This flow pattern persisted through the holiday weekend with the heavy snow accumulating in the higher mountains. This two day snowfall totals included: Mosquito Creek SNOTEL...11.5" and Schwitzer Ski Area...13".

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 2:20 PM PST, 9 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 2:20 PM PST, 9 hours 41 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 31, 12:46 PM PST, 11 hours 15 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Central Panhandle Mountains

When
January 1, 12:01 AM PST to January 3, 10:00 AM PST
Where
Central Panhandle Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.265, -116.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Panhandle

When
January 1, 12:01 AM PST to January 3, 10:00 AM PST
Where
Northern Panhandle forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
48.247, -116.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, January 2003

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: 5341673, 5341674.