Idaho, 2008

Heavy Snow in Idaho, December 17 to 19, 2008

December 17 to 19, 2008 · NWS MSO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

As arctic air remained anchored at the surface, a moist Pacific weather system move up over this cold dome of air to produce heavy snow over portions of north central Idaho. Eight to twelve inches of new snow was reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
1

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 MSO wrote it up.

As arctic air remained anchored at the surface, a moist Pacific weather system move up over this cold dome of air to produce heavy snow over portions of north central Idaho. Eight to twelve inches of new snow was reported.

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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 16, 1:55 PM PST, 16 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 16, 1:55 PM PST, 16 hours 5 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

1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Clearwater Mountains

When
December 17, 6:00 AM PST to December 19, 4:00 AM PST
Where
Northern Clearwater Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.674, -115.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations between 8 and 12 inches was reported by spotters in the area.

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 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2008

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: 142575.