A potent Pacific Storm System brought heavy snow to portions of north central Idaho. Many schools were closed during the day of January 5th due to the heavy snowfall, as well as some blowing and drifting snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS MSO wrote it up.
A potent Pacific Storm System brought heavy snow to portions of north central Idaho. Many schools were closed during the day of January 5th due to the heavy snowfall, as well as some blowing and drifting snow. Additionally, many highways were closed during this time frame. Total snow amounts ranged anywhere between 6 and 16 inches.
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 Jan 3, 7:34 PM PST, 4 hours 26 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The COOP observer in Pierce, as well as storm spotters in the area reported snow amounts between 6 to 7 inches in the valley locations.
Schools along the Camas Prairie were forced to close due to heavy snow. This included schools in Grangeville, Cottonwood, Kamiah, and Orofino. Storm spotters in the area reported snow amounts between 7 and 8 inches.
Local storm spotters reported 12 inches of new snow in Lowell, with up to 16 inches falling in Elk City. Schools in Elk City were closed for the day to the heavy snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, January 2009
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: 147103, 147107, 147105.