An intense surface low pressure system moved from west to east along the Southern British Columbia border and dragged a cold front through as well. The resulting high winds brought about substantial damage across North Idaho.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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 OTX wrote it up.
An intense surface low pressure system moved from west to east along the Southern British Columbia border and dragged a cold front through as well. The resulting high winds brought about substantial damage across North Idaho. In addition heavy rain over the two days preceding and occurring with the windstorm brought about river rises, mudslides, and debris flows.
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 Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 7, 10:31 PM PST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Spokane WA 1031 PM PST MON DEC 7 2015 .SYNOPSIS... More rain Tuesday and Wednesday will raise concerns of minor field flooding, rises on small streams, and minor mud slides. Wednesday will be the windiest day of the week, and has the potential for gusts of 50 mph or more over the Palouse, West Plains, Spokane area, and the Lewiston area. Cooler temperatures by the end of the week can bring snow to the low elevations of the Columbia Basin. && .DISCUSSION... The surface low is moving quickly to the east this evening across the southern ID Panhandle. There was even enough instability earlier to get some lightning stretching from the Tri-Cities to the Camas Prairie. Lots of little updates to be made for the remainder of the night. Given the track of the low was a bit further south than expected...temperatures have been slow to warm up across portions of north ID and into southern Pend Oreille County. Moderate to heavy snow was falling across Lookout Pass earlier which created quite poor driving conditions. It looks like from area cameras over the pass that roads continue to be treacherous and the road may be closed in one direction. Snow will be decreasing through the night and snow levels will slowly rise. Temperatures will remain quite mild through the night with near record breaking daytime temperatures expected tomorrow. 20 degrees above average for this time of the year! Given the more southern track of the low we are not expecting the breezy winds across the Spokane area tonight. Locations closer to the vicinity of the low will continue to see breezy winds through the evening. Pullman and Lewiston down towards the Camas Prairie could see gusts 20-30 mph through midnight. /Nisbet && .AVIATION... 06Z TAFS: Spokane area could see IFR/MVFR cigs and vis prior to the next batch of rain set to move in ard 14Z. Pullman and Lewiston will continue w elevated winds through the overnight hours. Rain will move through the region starting at 11z for western taf locations and move east through the morning. -RA will be mainly confined to the Cascade crest and north ID by afternoon. Breezy SW winds will increase starting around 18Z across the Columbia Basin and into the Spokane/COE and Palouse areas. Winds will continue through the afternoon and evening hours. The strongest wind gusts are expected to be at KGEG and KPUW through the early evening hours. Winds are expected to remain elevated through the night and into a very windy Wednesday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 36 55 47 49 35 40 / 10 100 90 70 20 80 Coeur d'Alene 36 53 45 48 34 40 / 20 100 100 90 20 70 Pullman 41 56 47 48 36 43 / 10 100 70 90 20 80 Lewiston 44 61 49 52 38 47 / 10 80 60 60 30 60 Colville 33 48 40 47 32 37 / 10 100 100 70 20 70 Sandpoint 34 47 43 45 33 38 / 30 100 100 100 20 70 Kellogg 35 46 43 43 32 36 / 70 100 100 100 30 80 Moses Lake 37 56 48 53 36 46 / 20 90 40 20 50 70 Wenatchee 35 50 42 48 34 42 / 20 60 50 20 50 70 Omak 33 46 41 45 31 38 / 10 70 80 20 20 80 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service SPOKANE WA 515 AM PST MON DEC 7 2015 IDZ001>004-026-027-WAZ031>038-041>044-081400- NORTHERN PANHANDLE-COEUR D'ALENE AREA-IDAHO PALOUSE- CENTRAL PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS-LEWISTON AREA- LEWIS AND SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES-NORTHEAST BLUE MOUNTAINS- LOWER GARFIELD AND ASOTIN COUNTIES-WASHINGTON PALOUSE- MOSES LAKE AREA-UPPER COLUMBIA BASIN-SPOKANE AREA- NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS-OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS-WENATCHEE AREA- EAST SLOPES NORTHERN CASCADES-OKANOGAN VALLEY-WATERVILLE PLATEAU- 515 AM PST MON DEC 7 2015 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North Idaho... North Central Idaho...Central Washington...East Central Washington...North Central Washington...Northeast Washington and Southeast Washington. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Heavy rain is expected across the area this afternoon. This could lead to water problems in localized areas. Gusty winds are also expected this evening...mainly on the Palouse, Pomeroy area as well as the Wenatchee area. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY More wet and windy weather is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday. More local flooding is possible. Mudslides are also possible in areas with steeper terrain. Additionally, strong winds are expected on Wednesday with gusts to 55 mph possible. The weather will turn cooler by the end of the week which could mean the return of low elevation snow.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind, 6 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A federal agency reported water out of bank near Santa, Idaho on the St Maries river and an ice jam.
A mesonet at the top of Schweitzer Mountain, about 5 miles west of Colburn, Idaho reported a wind gust of 73 mph.
A member of broadcast media reported tress and wires down on I-90 in the westbound lane just to the east of Coeur d' Alene, ID.
A member of the broadcast media reported that Oliver road was washed out from heavy rain in 5 miles north of Sandpoint, Idaho.
The AWOS at the Coeur d' Alene airport in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho reported a wind gust of 61 mph.
An emergency manager reported minor damage to homes around the airport in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.
A member of broadcast media reported a tree down on west bound I-90 at MP 24.5.
The ASOS in Lewiston, Idaho reported a wind gust of 60 mph.
An amateur radio operator reported that the Pack river exceeded historical measurement. The USGS to asssess new rating of Dec 9,2015 at the gauge near Colburn, Idaho.
A member of the public near Clark Fork, Idaho reported that Lightning creek is at bank-full with a video posted to social media.
A trained spotter reported flooding along Deep Creek at Lions Den Road 6 miles north of Naples, Idaho.
A member of broadcast media reported a tree down near 7th and Randle in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.
An emergency manager noted several roads were closed from water over the roadway along and near Schewitzer creek, Sand creek, Grouse creek, and the Upper Pack river.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2015
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: 604283, 604001, 603964, 603982, 603989, 603990, 603991, 603992, 604004, 604006, 604007, 603993, 603981.