Several areas received over 60 mph wind gusts with thunderstorms that occurred with a strong cold frontal passage.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 PIH wrote it up.
Several areas received over 60 mph wind gusts with thunderstorms that occurred with a strong cold frontal passage.
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 Dec 30, 5:51 PM MST, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 551 PM MST FRI DEC 30 2011 .UPDATE...HAVE ALREADY MADE A FEW MINOR QUICK UPDATES TO FORECAST FOR TONIGHT. FIRST...WINDS HAVE ALREADY INCREASED TO BE WELL WITHIN WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA MAINLY FROM KPIH NORTH THROUGH THE SNAKE PLAIN. THIS DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD WITH THE POTENTIAL TO REACH VERY CLOSE TO HIGH WIND WARNING. SFC GRADIENT STILL PROGGED TO REACH BEST AMPLITUDE AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND BEHIND VIGOROUS COLD FRONT. BEST MID LEVEL SUPPORT WILL BE IN WYOMING BY THEN BUT ENOUGH 700MB WINDS REMAIN TO BE MIXED DOWN TO KEEP STRONG WINDS GOING OVERNIGHT. PUSHED THE WIND ADVISORY TO AN EARLIER START IN THE UPPER VALLEY BUT WINDS ALREADY INCREASING TO VERY CLOSE TO ADVISORY ELVEL AT KPIH. WILL LIKELY JUST LET ADVISORY MOVE ON AS IS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL CHANGES. AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT MARCHING THROUGH WESTERN IDAHO THIS EVENING AND LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. WITH THE WINDS CURRENTLY STRENGTHENING THROUGH THE REGION...CONVECTIVELY ENHANCED GUSTS MAY REACH VERY CLOSE TO SEVERE LIMITS. HAVE ADDED THUNDER TO THE GRIDS IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE BEST INSTABILITY INDICATED BY THE MODELS. OTHERWISE...BROAD AREA OF RAIN ALREADY OCCURRING IN EASTERN HALF OF FORECAST AREA. MESONET SFC OBS INDICATE SNOW LEVELS CURRENTLY ABOUT 7000 FEET BUT ONCE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THOSE WILL STEADILY DROP TO VALLEY FLOORS BY MORNING. IN ALL...A VERY ACTIVE EVENING ACROSS EASTERN IDAHO. DMH && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 235 PM MST FRI DEC 30 2011/ SHORT TERM...A POTENT STORM SYSTEM EMBEDDED IN WESTERLY FLOW OFF THE PACIFIC WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEAST IDAHO TONIGHT. A SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL REACH CHALLIS BETWEEN 4 AND 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE SNAKE PLAIN BY 8 PM. A 14 MB SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS SOUTHERN IDAHO AND -18 C/12HR COLD AIR ADVECTION AT 700MB FAVORS STRONG WINDS WITH THE COLD FRONT WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH IN THE EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY AND THE UPPER AND LOWER SNAKE PLAIN. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED BETWEEN 8 PM AND MIDNIGHT. IS APPROACHING TEMPERATURES SO FAR THIS AFTERNOON HAVE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE 30S AROUND 7000 FEET OF ELEVATION AND ELEVATED SNOW LEVELS. SNOW LEVELS SHOULD FALL QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT TO THE VALLEY FLOORS. MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION IN THE LOWER VALLEYS WILL FALL AS RAIN AHEAD OF THE FRONT. MOST OF THE SNAKE PLAIN WILL BE UNDER ONE INCH...WHILE THE EASTERN BENCH AREAS COULD BE HIT BY A QUICK 1 TO 2 INCH SNOW FALL. FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...SNOW TOTALS SO FAR ARE TRICKY WITH THE WEST WINDS NOT REGISTERING MORE THAN 4 TO 6 INCHES AROUND SUN VALLEY. TOTALS THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING COULD BE 12 TO 16 INCHES. A SHARP HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS IN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY TO BRING RAPID CLEARING...BUT COOLER TEMPERATURES. LONG TERM...SUN NIGHT THROUGH NEXT FRI NIGHT. STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS PERIOD DOES GIVE WAY FOR SOME CLOUDINESS ON MON/MON NIGHT AS A TROUGH PASSES TO THE NORTH. BUT SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION DOES NOT RETURN UNTIL THU NIGHT. NEARLY CLEAR SKIES UNTIL THEN MEANS AFTERNOON HIGHS ABOUT 10 DEG F ABOVE NORMAL. CLEAR SKIES OVERNIGHT ARE STILL WARMER THAN NORMAL...BUT BY ONLY ABOUT 5 DEG. WINDS UNDER THE HIGH WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT UNTIL THE THU NIGHT TROUGH APPROACHES. EVEN THE MOUNTAINS WILL BE SEEING VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF ACCUMULATION. MESSICK AVIATION...SKIES WILL CLOUD UP AGAIN DURING THE EARLY EVENING WITH A FRONTAL PASSAGE. THIS COULD SHUT DOWN KSUN DUE TO CIG RESTRICTIONS...REALLY TOUCH AND GO FOR KSUN. THE VALLEY AIRDROMES WILL BE DEALING WITH STRONG WIND AND MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS DURING THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. WITH A MORE WESTERLY DIRECTION EXPECTED FOR THE STRONG WIND...KIDA SHOULD BE THE ONLY VALLEY AIRPORT TO HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR TOO MUCH CROSS WIND COMPONENT. SHOWERS COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES...BUT ONLY KSUN HAS A THREAT OF SNOW DURING THE EARLY EVENING. OTHER LOCATIONS COULD CHANGE OVER TO SNOW BUT IT WOULD OCCUR FAIRLY LATE AND AFTER NORMAL OPERATING HOURS.. MESSICK && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM MST SATURDAY IDZ017-021-022. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM MST SATURDAY IDZ019-020. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST SATURDAY IDZ018-019-023-031. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 504 AM MST FRI DEC 30 2011 IDZ018-019-023-031-311215- SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS-UPPER SNAKE HIGHLANDS-CARIBOU HIGHLANDS- BIG AND LITTLE WOOD RIVER REGION- 504 AM MST FRI DEC 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN IDAHO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ABOVE 7000 FEET. SNOWFALL TOTALS WILL BE AROUND 12 TO 24 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. STRONG WINDS MAY CREATE BLOWING SNOW WHICH WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY AND HIGH SNOWDRIFTS MAY BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY MORNING OVER THE UPPER SNAKE PLAIN...THEN TAPER OFF LATER IN THE DAY. .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. IDZ024-025-032-311215- CACHE VALLEY/IDAHO PORTION-WASATCH MOUNTAINS/IDAHO PORTION- LOST RIVER/PAHSIMEROI- 504 AM MST FRI DEC 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN IDAHO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT MODERATE SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY ABOVE 7000 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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. IDZ017-020>022-311215- EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY-UPPER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN- LOWER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN-SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS- 504 AM MST FRI DEC 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN IDAHO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT WITH WIND SPEEDS OF 30 TO 35 MPH GUSTING TO NEAR 45 MPH ACROSS MUCH OF THE SNAKE PLAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS THE SNAKE PLAIN...THEN TAPER OFF IN THE AFTERNOON. .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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
755 PM MST FRI DEC 30 2011
IDZ017-021-022-310400-
MINIDOKA ID-LINCOLN ID-BINGHAM ID-POWER ID-CASSIA ID-BANNOCK
ID-BLAINE ID-
755 PM MST FRI DEC 30 2011
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN POCATELLO HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
SOUTHEASTERN BLAINE COUNTY IN CENTRAL IDAHO
CASSIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO
SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO
MINIDOKA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO
NORTHWESTERN BANNOCK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IDAHO
NORTHWESTERN POWER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IDAHO
SOUTHWESTERN BINGHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IDAHO
UNTIL 900 PM MST
AT 748 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 22 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF CRATERS OF MOON TO 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF ROGERSON..AND MOVING EAST
AT 60 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PAUL...
RUPERT...
BURLEY... HEYBURN... PINGREE... SPRINGFIELD AND STERLING...
ABERDEEN...
FORT HALL EAGLE LODGE... MARION AND VIEW...
FORT HALL CITY...
AMERICAN FALLS AND FORT HALL BUFFALO LODGE...
LAT...LON 4199 11427 4200 11429 4241 11429 4242 11409
4251 11407 4254 11399 4254 11394 4276 11395
4276 11405 4280 11407 4280 11434 4283 11437
4320 11364 4317 11217 4198 11342
TIME...MOT...LOC 0255Z 271DEG 51KT 4314 11317 4235 11469
DMHThe Pocatello radar (KSFX), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:22 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Spotter recorded a 75 mph wind gust with a thunderstorm along a strong cold front.
A member of the general public used amateur equipment to measure a 72 mph wind gust at Minidoka.
Pocatello Airport ASOS recorded a wind gust of 60 mph with a thunderstorm during a cold frontal passage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2011
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: 357271, 357272, 357270.