Idaho, 2009

Heavy Snow in Idaho, February 26, 2009

February 26, 2009 · NWS PIH · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Nine to 12 inches of snow fell in the Central Mountains and Upper Snake Highlands.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 PIH wrote it up.

Nine to 12 inches of snow fell in the Central Mountains and Upper Snake Highlands.

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 Pocatello, ID wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 25, 8:23 PM MST, 3 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 25, 8:23 PM MST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
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Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Sawtooth Mountains

When
February 26, 12:00 AM MST to 9:01 PM MST
Where
Sawtooth Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

Nine inches of snow fell at the Mill Creek SNOTEL. 10 inches of snow fell at Smiley Mountain, and 11 inches fell at Bear Canyon.

Heavy Snow, Upper Snake Highlands

When
February 26, 12:00 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Upper Snake Highlands forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

Nine inches of snow fell at the White Elephant SNOTEL.

Heavy Snow, Lost River / Pahsimeroi

When
February 26, 12:00 AM MST to 9:01 PM MST
Where
Lost River / Pahsimeroi forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The Hilts Creek SNOTEL reported 12 inches of snow. The Moonshine SNOTEL reported 9 inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Big and Little Wood River Region

When
February 26, 12:00 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Big and Little Wood River Region forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

Fourteen inches of snow fell at the Vienna Mine SNOTEL. Other SNOTEL amounts were 11 inches at Lost Wood Divide, 10 inches at Garfield Ranger Station, 11 inches at Galena Summit, 9 inches at Galena Lodge, and 9 inches at Dollarhide.

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, February 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: 154464, 154478, 154479, 154484.