Idaho, 2009

Heavy Snow in Idaho, April 1 to 2, 2009

April 1 to 2, 2009 · NWS OTX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A winter-like storm system moved into the Inland Northwest during the first few days of April. A very unusual occurrence of heavy, low elevation snow was observed late on April first going into the early morning hours of the second, when a warm front brought widespread snowfall.

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 OTX wrote it up.

A winter-like storm system moved into the Inland Northwest during the first few days of April. A very unusual occurrence of heavy, low elevation snow was observed late on April first going into the early morning hours of the second, when a warm front brought widespread snowfall. Snow accumulations in the Moscow area ranged from four to seven inches, with Troy also picking up seven inches.

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 Apr 1, 8:01 PM PST, 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 1, 8:01 PM PST, 59 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, Idaho Palouse

When
April 1, 9:00 PM PST to April 2, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Idaho Palouse forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.017, -116.685 (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 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, April 2009

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: 160645.