Heavy Snow, Lewis and Southern Nez Perce
- When
- March 3, 4:00 PM PST to March 4, 9:00 AM PST
- Where
- Lewis and Southern Nez Perce forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.282, -116.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow in Idaho, March 3 to 4, 2008
Cold and unstable upslope flow into the Camas Prairie resulted in heavy snow accumulations, with Winchester picking up seven inches. Snowfall amounts of three to six inches were common above 2500 feet.
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
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 OTX wrote it up.
Cold and unstable upslope flow into the Camas Prairie resulted in heavy snow accumulations, with Winchester picking up seven inches. Snowfall amounts of three to six inches were common above 2500 feet. In addition to the snow, west to northwest winds gusted to near 45 mph at times resulting in areas of blowing and drifting snow.
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 Mar 3, 2:34 PM PST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 3, 2:34 PM PST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
234 PM PST MON MAR 3 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL
MOVE OVER AND THROUGH THE INLAND NORTHWEST THIS EVENING...PRODUCING
GUSTY WINDS AND SNOW SHOWERS. NORTH IDAHO WILL SEE THE HEAVIEST
SNOWS...WHILE THE PALOUSE AND COLUMBIA BASIN WILL EXPERIENCE THE
STRONGEST WIND GUSTS. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL THEN BUILD OVER THE
REGION THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...FAVORING DRY WEATHER FOR ALL
AND PATCHY VALLEY FOG FOR THE NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS AND NORTH
IDAHO.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
TONIGHT AND TOMORROW...VERY FAST MOVING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
CONTINUES TO DRAG A FAIRLY STRONG COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA
THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. STRATIFORM PRECIPITATION ALONG THE
LEADING EDGE OF THE FRONT WILL GIVE WAY TO MORE SHOWERY ACTIVITY
WITH SNOW LEVELS FALLING OVERNIGHT AS A SIGNIFICANT COLD POOL OF
AIR MOVES IN OVERHEAD AND STEEPENS LAPSE RATES AND INCREASES
INSTABILITY. THE NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST TRAJECTORY OF THE SYSTEM
AS IT PASSES THROUGH THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FAVORS THE CAMAS
PRAIRIE FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF CONVECTIVE SNOWFALL IN ADDITION
TO THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. THE COMBINATION OF INSTABILITY SNOW SHOWERS
ALONG WITH STABLE STRATIFORM SNOW AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL
RESULT IN ENOUGH SNOW ACCUMULATION TO ALLOW FOR CONTINUATION OF
ONGOING SNOW ADVISORIES FOR PARTS OF THE IDAHO PANHANDLE INTO
TOMORROW. /PELATTI
TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURS NT...A SLOW TRANSITION FROM UNSTABLE
NW FLOW TUES NT TO A STABLE UPPER RIDGE BY THURS SHOWS NO DEVIATION
FROM WHAT THE LAST COUPLE GUIDANCE RUNS HAVE SHOWN. FOR TUES NT
AND EARLY WED...LINGERING SHALLOW LYR INSTABILITY IN THE PRESENCE
OF MOIST NW UPSLOPE FLOW WILL REMAIN ANCHORED OVER THE SE PART OF
SHOSHONE COUNTY. FOR THIS...WEVE KEPT THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW
SHOWERS IN THE FCST FOR MAINLY THE MTNS S AND E OF KELLOGG.
OTHERWISE DRY WX FOR THE REST OF ERN WA AND N ID THRU THURS NT.
THE PRESENCE OF THE STABLE RIDGE WILL FAVOR PATCHY VALLEY FOG FOR
ALL OF THE VALLEYS OF NE WA AND N ID. BZ
FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...PATTERN CHANGE EXPECTED DURING THIS
PERIOD AS ALL LONG RANGE GUIDANCE HAS RIDGE DE-AMPLIFYING AND
SHIFTING TO THE EAST. THIS LEAVES THE REGION IN WSW FLOW AND OPEN
TO SYSTEMS EJECTING FROM THE LONG WAVE TROF... POSITIONED NR 150W.
LATEST GFS RUN DOES HAVE TWO SYSTEMS MOVING OVER THE REGION... ONE
EARLY SATURDAY AND A SECOND MIDDAY SUNDAY. THE ECMWF SHOWS ONLY
ONE SYSTEM THROUGH MONDAY... A MORE POTENT STORM ARRIVING MIDDAY
SATURDAY. GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS FM 03/12Z SHOW SOME DIVERGENCE IN
THEIR SOLUTIONS BY 10/12Z... ALTHOUGH OVERALL PATTERN CHANGE IS
WELL SUPPORTED. BOTTOM LINE IS INCREASING POPS AND SKY COVER
STARTING FRIDAY NIGHT. STILL CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY ON TIMING
AND STRENGTH OF INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS SO POPS NEVER EXCEED 50
PERCENT EXPECT JUST EAST OF CASCADE CREST. DESPITE THE WSW FLOW
EXPECT TEMPS AND SNOW LEVELS TO STAY NEAR SEASONAL NORMS. JL
&&
.AVIATION...
WARM FRONT PRECIP THIS MORNING WILL BRING RAIN AND SNOW AND LATER
TONIGHT INSTABILITY SHOWERS LINGER...MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAIN
LOCATIONS. REGARDLESS MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS AND MVFR/VFR
CONDITIONS AT REGIONAL TAF SITES ARE LIKELY THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY.
/PELATTI
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SPOKANE 27 44 24 42 26 45 / 40 20 0 0 0 0
COEUR DALENE 29 42 24 42 25 44 / 40 30 0 0 0 0
PULLMAN 30 43 26 45 29 47 / 40 30 10 0 0 0
LEWISTON 35 50 31 53 33 54 / 50 40 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 27 44 21 49 23 50 / 70 20 0 0 0 10
SANDPOINT 29 42 23 43 24 44 / 80 80 10 10 10 0
KELLOGG 28 39 25 44 24 45 / 80 80 20 10 10 10
MOSES LAKE 30 50 24 50 28 52 / 10 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 31 47 28 51 31 53 / 10 10 0 0 0 10
OMAK 27 47 20 45 24 48 / 10 0 0 0 0 10
&&
.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM PST TUESDAY FOR CENTRAL PANHANDLE
MOUNTAINS.
SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM PST TUESDAY ABOVE 2000 FEET FOR LEWIS
AND SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES.
SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM PST TUESDAY FOR NORTHERN PANHANDLE.
WA...NONE.
&&Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 3, 9:14 AM PST, 6 hours 46 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA 914 AM PST MON MAR 3 2008 IDZ002-003-026-027-WAZ031>036-038-041-043-044-041715- COEUR DALENE AREA-IDAHO PALOUSE-LEWISTON AREA- LEWIS AND SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES-NORTHEAST BLUE MOUNTAINS- LOWER GARFIELD AND ASOTIN COUNTIES-WASHINGTON PALOUSE- MOSES LAKE AREA-UPPER COLUMBIA BASIN-SPOKANE AREA- OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS-WENATCHEE AREA-OKANOGAN VALLEY- WATERVILLE PLATEAU- 914 AM PST MON MAR 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH IDAHO... NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO...CENTRAL WASHINGTON...EAST CENTRAL WASHINGTON...NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON...NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. IDZ001-004-WAZ037-041715- NORTHERN PANHANDLE-CENTRAL PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS- NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS- 914 AM PST MON MAR 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH IDAHO AND NORTHEAST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL TRACK INTO THE REGION TODAY FOLLOWED BY AN UNSTABLE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF THESE TWO FEATURES WILL RESULT IN THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY. SNOW ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED. VALLEYS CLOSER TO THE BC BORDER WILL SEE 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW MAINLY TODAY...WITH THE FOCUS SHIFTING TO THE SILVER VALLEY OF NORTH IDAHO TONIGHT. FOR THE MOUNTAINS...SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED BY LATE TONIGHT. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...GUSTY WEST WINDS OF 30-40 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVERNIGHT RESULTING IN AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE OVER MOST OF NORTH IDAHO THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE. DRYING WILL DEVELOP LATER ON TUESDAY AND SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. WAZ042-041715- EAST SLOPES NORTHERN CASCADES- 914 AM PST MON MAR 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL TRACK ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. ALTHOUGH SOME VALLEY LOCATIONS NEAR THE CREST COULD RECEIVE A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW TODAY...MOST OF THE SNOW WILL PILE UP ALONG THE CREST. BY LATE TONIGHT...SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED...GENERALLY WEST OF PLAIN AND MAZAMA. THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF LATE AS THE UNSTABLE AIR MOVES OFF TO THE EAST. WEST WINDS OF 25-35 MPH BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL ALSO PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
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
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, March 3 to 4, 2008
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Illinois, March 3 to 4, 2008
- Flooding in Missouri, March 3 to 5, 2008
- Strong Wind in Tennessee, March 3, 2008
- Tornado and Flash Flood in Texas, March 3, 2008
- Flooding in Indiana, March 3 to 31, 2008
- Tornado and Hail in Mississippi, March 3 to 4, 2008
- Flash Flooding in Arkansas, March 3, 2008
- Winter Storm in Illinois, March 3 to 4, 2008
- Tornadoes in Arkansas, March 3, 2008
- Flooding in Kentucky, March 3 to 4, 2008
- Winter Storm in Missouri, March 3 to 4, 2008
More
Every storm in Idaho in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 85674.