An avalanche near the bottom of Fire Trail on Seattle Ridge on Bald Mountain killed a back country skier. The avalanche occurred at approximately 2:30 pm on January 22nd.
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 PIH wrote it up.
An avalanche near the bottom of Fire Trail on Seattle Ridge on Bald Mountain killed a back country skier. The avalanche occurred at approximately 2:30 pm on January 22nd. The man was pronounced dead at 3:31 pm at the Wood River Medical Center due to suffocation.
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 Jan 22, 8:57 AM MST, 5 hours 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 857 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010 .UPDATE...REPORTED RATES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IN THE SUN VALLEY AREA INDICATE THREE AND A HALF INCHES IN THREE HOURS. THEREFORE SNOW TOTALS THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING COULD AVERAGE ABOUT 10 INCHES. THEREFORE ZONE 31...SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS WAS INCREASED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. RS && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 806 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010/ UPDATE...MORNING SPOTTER REPORTS ON HIGHWAY 28 BETWEEN IDAHO FALLS AND GILMORE REPORTED THREE OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW...PARTICULARLY CLOSE TO GILMORE SUMMIT. SNOW AMOUNTS WERE ADJUSTED UPWARDS ANOTHER INCH OR SO TOWARDS THAT AREA. ALSO...SOUTH WINDS IN THE POCATELLO ARE GUSTING TO AROUND 35 MPH AND THOSE WERE ADJUSTED. ANALYSIS SHOWS A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE CENTER NEAR JACK POT NEVADA THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTH TO NORTHEAST TODAY AND SURFACE WINDS SHOULD SHIFT TO SOUTH SOUTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON. RS PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 333 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SUN NIGHT. SNOW HAS STARTED IN EASTERN IDAHO ALREADY AND SHOULD CONTINUE SLOW BUT STEADY FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS OVER THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA...AND CONTINUE IN THE EAST AND SOUTH FOR AN ADDITIONAL 12 HOURS AFTER THAT ONCE NORTHWEST FLOW KICKS IN. HAVE EXTENDED THE TIME FOR THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ZONES...AND INCLUDED THE EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY AND SNAKE RIVER PLAIN IN THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. NORTHERLY FLOW BEHIND THE CURRENT STORM WILL BRING COLDER TEMPERATURES AND KEEP PRECIPITATION DEVELOPING OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN UPSLOPE-FAVORED ASPECTS. DRIER TRAJECTORY MEANS THAT POP DECREASE CONSIDERABLY FROM THE NEAR CATEGORICAL OF TODAY AND THIS EVENING. WINDY CONDITIONS IN THE AREAS SOUTH OF THE SNAKE RIVER WILL ADD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW TO THE HAZARD LIST. EXPECT EVEN STRONGER WIND ON SATURDAY...MAINLY IN THE VALLEY ZONES. TOWARDS END OF THIS PERIOD...UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BEGINS TO MOVE IN AS THE LOW DIGS SOUTHEASTWARD INTO THE GREAT PLAINS. WARM OVERNIGHT LOWS AS SKIES STAY CLOUDY...WITH SINGLE DIGITS SHOWING UP SUN NIGHT AS SKIES FINALLY START TO CLEAR SOME. MESSICK LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. BOTH GFS AND ECMWF KEEPING AN UPPER RIDGE OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES MON AND TUE. A SPLIT FLOW UPPER TROF MOVING INTO THE W COAST ON TUE WILL PUMP ENOUGH MOISTURE INTO THE RIDGE TO ALLOW FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW MAINLY IN THE MTNS ON MON...SPREADING ACROSS THE REST OF THE FCST AREA BY TUE. THE ECMWF DEVELOPS A MUCH STRONGER SOUTHERN STREAM LOW BY WED MORNING...BUT THE IMPACT ON ID IS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE WEAKER GFS SOLUTION. PRECIP CHANCES DIMINISH BY WED EVE AS THE SPLIT FLOW TROF MOVES OFF TO THE EAST AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN. RIDGING RETURNS FOR THU. THE GFS IS A LITTLE MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH THE RIDGE THAN THE ECMWF...AND THERFORE IS MORE ADVANCED WITH PRECIP MOVING BACK IN. WILL BE MORE CONSERVATIVE AND ONLY INTRODUCE LOW POPS INTO THE CEN MTNS THU NIGHT AND FRI. HEDGES AVIATION...SOUTHERLY FLOW IS BRINGING ANOTHER WAVE OF PRECIP INTO ID THIS MORNING. THE PRECIP SHIELD MOVING INTO THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD TO IMPACT ALL AREAS BY LATE MORNING. PRECIP IN THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN/EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY MAY MIX WITH RAIN BY AFTERNOON...WHILE THE REST OF THE AREA WILL REMAIN AS SNOW. MVFR CIGS/VIS CAN BE EXPECTED AT KPIH AND KBYI...WHILE KIDA AND KSUN CAN EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL EFFECTS OF UPSLOPE FLOW. HEDGES && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST SATURDAY IDZ017-020-021. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST SATURDAY IDZ022>025. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM MST SATURDAY IDZ018-019. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST SATURDAY IDZ031. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 909 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010 IDZ017>025-031-032-231330- EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY-SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS-UPPER SNAKE HIGHLANDS- UPPER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN-LOWER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN- SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-CARIBOU HIGHLANDS- CACHE VALLEY/IDAHO PORTION-WASATCH MOUNTAINS/IDAHO PORTION- BIG AND LITTLE WOOD RIVER REGION-LOST RIVER/PAHSIMEROI- 909 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN IDAHO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR NEARLY ALL OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IDAHO. SEE THE LATEST URGENT WINTER WEATHER MESSAGES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATION IS LIKELY IN THE SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS AND THAT AREA WAS UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING. PLEASE REFER TO BOIWSWPIH FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES WILL CONTINUE FOR MANY LOCATIONS INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. CHECK THE LATEST URGENT WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR FURTHER DETAILS. LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE IN SOUTHEAST IDAHO INTO SUNDAY. A CHANCE OF SNOW RETURNS AS EARLY AS TUESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WE ASK TRAINED SPOTTERS AND CITIZENS TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. THESE CONDITIONS MAY INCLUDE HAIL...TORNADOES...STRONG WIND...DUST STORMS...SNOWFALL... EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES...FREEZING RAIN OR HEAVY RAIN...DENSE FOG...AND FLOODING OR ICE JAMS. INFORMATION ABOUT THESE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS SHOULD BE CALLED INTO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN POCATELLO USING THE 1-800 SEVERE WEATHER HOTLINE...OR 208-233-0834.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
908 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM SNOW 11 NE SPENCER 44.49N 112.03W
01/22/2010 E3.6 INCH CLARK ID MESONET
SNOTEL SITE - CRAB CREEK - ELEVATION 6686 FEET - 13 HOUR
SNOW TOTAL
0700 AM SNOW 18 SE BURLEY 42.35N 113.54W
01/22/2010 E3.8 INCH CASSIA ID MESONET
SNOTEL SITE - HOWELL CANYON - ELEVATION 7982 FEET - 13
HOUR SNOW TOTAL
0700 AM SNOW 12 NNW KETCHUM 43.85N 114.47W
01/22/2010 E3.1 INCH BLAINE ID MESONET
SNOTEL SITE - CHOCOLATE GULCH - ELEVATION 6440 FEET - 13
HOUR SNOW TOTAL
0700 AM SNOW 30 SW BURLEY 42.23N 114.20W
01/22/2010 E5.2 INCH CASSIA ID MESONET
SNOTEL SITE - BOSTETTER R.S. - ELEVATION 7503 FEET - 13
HOUR SNOW TOTAL
0700 AM SNOW 33 WNW ARCO 43.82N 113.91W
01/22/2010 E5.9 INCH CUSTER ID MESONET
SNOTEL SITE - BEAR CANYON - ELEVATION 7903 FEET - 13 HOUR
SNOW TOTAL
0800 AM SNOW 1 NW HAILEY 43.52N 114.31W
01/22/2010 M4.5 INCH BLAINE ID TRAINED SPOTTER
ADDITIONAL INCH AND A HALF OVER THE PAST HOUR
0808 AM SNOW 4 NNE HOLBROOK 42.22N 112.63W
01/22/2010 M3.4 INCH ONEIDA ID TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOW DEPTH IS 16 INCHES, BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW, SNOW
AND ICE COVERED ROADS, VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/4 MILE
0845 AM SNOW 5 S TABER 43.25N 112.63W
01/22/2010 E2.0 INCH BINGHAM ID TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
CHATTINGSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
930 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0910 AM HEAVY SNOW CRATERS OF MOON 43.42N 113.53W
01/22/2010 E10.0 INCH BUTTE ID CO-OP OBSERVER
SNOWFALL THIS MORNING - CURRENTLY SNOWING 2-3 INCHES PER
HOUR
0910 AM SNOW HAILEY 43.51N 114.30W
01/22/2010 M7.0 INCH BLAINE ID DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
&&
CHATTINGSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
1140 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1135 AM SNOW 1 SSE ARCO 43.63N 113.30W
01/22/2010 M5.0 INCH BUTTE ID TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
CHATTINGS1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
An avalanche near the bottom of Fire Trail on Seattle Ridge on Bald Mountain killed a back country skier. The avalanche occurred at approximately 2:30 pm on January 22nd. The man was pronounced dead at 3:31 pm at the Wood River Medical Center due to suffocation.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche, Big and Little Wood River Region | 2010-01-22 | 54 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, January 2010
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: 210848.