Idaho, 2014Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Idaho, December 27 to 28, 2014
December 27 to 28, 2014 · NWS MSO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
A long duration snowfall event brought heavy snow to the mountains of north central Idaho. Many locations reported 10 to 12 inches of snow with periods of heavy snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
A long duration snowfall event brought heavy snow to the mountains of north central Idaho. Many locations reported 10 to 12 inches of snow with periods of heavy snow.
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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 27, 2:54 AM PST, 3 hours 6 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 27, 2:54 AM PST, 3 hours 6 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
354 AM MST SAT DEC 27 2014
...WIDESPREAD TRAVEL IMPACTS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY...
...BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES RETURN SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...
.DISCUSSION...
The next weather system is already spreading cloud cover and light
snow through the region early this morning. Moderate to heavy snow
will develop by this afternoon with widespread snow accumulations
by Sunday morning. Confidence remains high for northwest Montana
and north central Idaho to receive the heaviest snow with this
weather system. Valleys in northwest Montana and central Idaho
will likely see 5 to 10 inches of snow with 15 to 24 inches in the
mountains. There are still some differences in snow amounts along
the I-90 corridor among model guidance so there is a chance for
higher snow amounts than the current forecast.
The entire region is either under a winter weather advisory or
winter storm warning with most of the snow accumulations
anticipated by sunday morning.
Behind the main area of snow an arctic front will pass through the
region from the northeast. Snow, blowing snow, gusty winds, and
cold wind chill will accompany this front especially along the
divide and through Hellgate and Badrock canyons. This front will
pass Sunday afternoon through Sunday evening so this will be
another focus for travel impacts. Wind chill readings between
10 to 25 degrees below zero will be common Monday morning.
A strong surface high pressure system will settle into the region
Monday night into Tuesday, and remain nearby through the first day
of the New Year leading to very cold temperatures and generally
dry conditions. Low temperatures will be well below zero with high
temperatures in the single digits for many locations through at
least Wednesday. Mountain locations will gradually warm up by late
in the coming week but valley warming will be limited by
inversions. Longer range guidance hints at another surge of very
cold air along with a chance of more snow Friday into next
weekend.
&&
.AVIATION...Cloud cover and light snow are expanding through the
region this morning and this trend will continue through today.
Once the main shortwave arrives this afternoon moderate to heavy
snow will obscure terrain and bring moderate to major aviation
impacts to KGPI and KMSO....and likely KBTM and KSMN due to low
ceiling and visibilities. Moderate to heavy snow is likely from
27/1800Z through 28/1800Z for most locations across the Northern
Rockies. Blowing snow, low visibilities, and very low ceilings
will develop on Sunday afternoon, especially along the divide and
for KGPI and KMSO. KGPI will also experience wind gusts up to 30
to 40 knots at times out of the east/northeast, beginning Sunday
afternoon.
&&
.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT... WINTER STORM WARNING from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM MST Sunday
Bitterroot/Sapphire Mountains.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 5 PM this afternoon to 11 AM MST
Monday Butte/Blackfoot Region.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 11 AM this morning to 11 AM MST
Monday Missoula/Bitterroot Valleys.
WINTER STORM WARNING from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM MST Sunday
Lower Clark Fork Region.
WINTER STORM WARNING from 11 AM this morning to 11 AM MST Monday
Flathead/Mission Valleys...West Glacier Region.
WINTER STORM WARNING from 11 AM this morning to 5 PM MST Sunday
Kootenai/Cabinet Region.
WINTER STORM WARNING from 11 AM this morning to 11 AM MST Monday
Potomac/Seeley Lake Region.
ID...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 11 AM this morning to 11 AM MST
Monday Eastern Lemhi County...Western Lemhi County.
WINTER STORM WARNING from 10 AM this morning to 10 PM PST Sunday
Northern Clearwater Mountains...Southern Clearwater
Mountains.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 10 AM this morning to 4 PM PST
Sunday Lower Hells Canyon/Salmon River Region...
Orofino/Grangeville Region.
&&Heavy Snow, Northern Clearwater Mountains
- When
- December 27, 6:00 AM PST to December 28, 11:00 AM PST
- Where
- Northern Clearwater Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- SNOTEL
- Coordinates
- 46.674, -115.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Pierce ranger station SNOTEL reported 14 inches of snowfall for this event with periods of heavy snow during the afternoon on Saturday and on early Sunday morning. Pierce COOP reported 16.5 inches of snow from Dec 28th through the 30th. Shanghai Summit SNOTEL reported 13 inches of snow during this event.
Winter Weather, Southern Clearwater Mountains
- When
- December 27, 7:00 AM PST to December 28, 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- Southern Clearwater Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 45.844, -115.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Dixie Cooperative Observer (COOP) reported 11.1 inches of snow over 2 days. Other SNOTEL observations include Savage Pass with 9 inches of snow and Lolo Pass with 10 inches.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Frost and Freeze in Arizona, December 27, 2014$1.0 million · 1 event
- Tornadoes in Texas, December 27, 2014$115,000 · EF1 · 2 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Idaho, December 27 to 28, 201454 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Washington, December 27 to 28, 201435 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Montana, December 27 to 28, 20142 injured · 8 events
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Texas, December 27, 2014$25,000 · EF0 · 2 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, December 27 to 28, 201459 kt wind · 12 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Oklahoma, December 27, 201410 events
- Heavy Snow in Montana, December 27 to 28, 20145 events
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, December 27 to 28, 20145 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, December 27, 201453 kt wind · 5 events
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Alabama, December 27 to 28, 20144 events
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: 550231, 550233.