Heavy snow began falling in the mountains on the 14th and affected all of southeast Idaho through the 16th with the heaviest snow in the central mountains on the 14th through the 15th and in the Snake River Plain and Upper Snake River Highlands on the 16th.
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.
Heavy snow began falling in the mountains on the 14th and affected all of southeast Idaho through the 16th with the heaviest snow in the central mountains on the 14th through the 15th and in the Snake River Plain and Upper Snake River Highlands on the 16th.
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 14, 3:10 AM MST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 310 AM MST Wed Dec 14 2016 .SHORT TERM...Today through early Saturday...A rather active weather week remains in the forecast with a continuous moisture plume in place. Snow showers will develop from the south and advance across our state this morning rather quickly. Temperatures will have a hard time climbing today. Impressive snow amounts in excess of 8 inches are likely across the Central Mountains with amounts exceeding a foot at highest elevations through Thursday morning. Across the Snake Plain, snow amounts of 3 to 5 inches are expected with locally higher amounts. Highland locations will see varying snowfall totals dependent on elevation, upwards of 10 inches over the next 30 hours. Early Thursday, a plume of warmer air will begin surging northwards into the lower Snake Plain and through the valleys of the Southern Highlands. This will create concerns for a wintry mix and potentials for pockets of freezing rain. The transition period for this is expected to be brief and occur overnight which would turn over to rain by the morning commute along I-15 from American Falls to Blackfoot. However, we will have to closely monitor areas northward, including Idaho Falls for Freezing Rain/Winter Mix potentials during the morning commute. Additionally, early Thursday and continuing through the day, wind speeds will increase out of the west and southwest, particularly across the Central Mountains and Southern Highlands areas. Winds will spread to the Snake Plain by late morning with speeds exceeding 25 mph likely to create blowing and/or drifting snow issues where snow is or has fallen. Since this is the time period where precipitation will be transitioning over to rain for the lower Snake Plain, the blowing snow issue is not as likely here; however we will be monitoring this potential for the Upper Snake Plain for possibility of extending the Winter Weather Advisory. A convergence event is being watched for Friday afternoon and evening, which would increase snowfall amounts across portions of the Snake Plain than what is currently forecast. Early Saturday, a cold front sweeps through our area, which clears out most of the moisture and drastically decreases temperatures below 0 degrees F. Some snow showers may linger over the Eastern Highlands in the early morning hours. Winter Storm Warnings will remain in effect for Heavy Snow and Blowing Snow for the Sawtooth Mountains and Big and Little Wood River Region. Winter Weather Advisories are posted for the Snake Plain areas for Snow and Freezing Rain. Winter Storm Warnings are also in effect for Upper Snake and Caribou Highlands and Wasatch Mountains for Heavy Snow. NP/DV .LONG TERM...Saturday through Wednesday. Extended still looks cold but not nearly as cold as yesterday. This is mainly due to the fact that the models are picking up on some weak systems arriving from the northwest that wasn't in the previous runs. As a result of more cloud cover, temps are noticeably warmer than yesterday's forecast. But still cold. There's still a slight chance of some light snow on Sunday from one weak system although any amounts look little if any right now. Otherwise the next system is around midweek. Although models are oscillating between bringing that system in on Tuesday or Wednesday. Also some concern given the extreme cold of some low stratus or patchy fog that may develop. Potentially this could affect temperatures as well but I have absolutely no confidence at this point in where, if, or how widespread that would be if it were to materialize. Valle && .AVIATION...A warm front will pass through the region late this afternoon. Expect snow to develop across the entire area this afternoon and this evening. This will produce reduced ceilings and visibilities. Expect gusty southerly winds to develop in the wake of the snow for the overnight hours. Valle && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 11 AM MST Thursday for IDZ017-021- 022-024. Winter Weather Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 11 AM MST Thursday for IDZ020-032. Winter Storm Warning until 5 PM MST Friday for IDZ023-025. Winter Storm Warning from 11 AM this morning to 5 AM MST Friday for IDZ018-031. Winter Storm Warning from 11 AM this morning to 5 PM MST Friday for IDZ019. &&
7 heavy snow, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The Stanley COOP observer reported 15 inches of snow. SNOTEL amounts were the following: 16 inches at Bear Canyon, 19 inches at Mill Creek Summit, 18 inches at Smiley Mountain, and 12 inches at Stickney Mill.
Heavy mountain snow began on the 14th and blizzard conditions were present on the 16th. SNOTEL snow amounts were 12 inches at Island Park and 16 inches at White Elephant. On the 16th school closed early at 11 am in Fremont County District 215 due to blizzard conditions. Crashes were reported on Highway 33 in Teton County on the 16th. An Island Park spotter reported 100 feet visibility on the morning of the 16h with 20 mph winds. St Anthony received 7 inches of snow on the 16th and Driggs got 11 inches on the 16th.
The Howell Canyon SNOTEL reported 11 inches of snow.
Areas around Lava Hot Springs reported 20 inches of snow.
Emigrant Summit reported 11 inches of snow.
The COOP observer in Ketchum reported 18 inches of snow with this storm. SNOTEL amounts were the following: Chocolate Gulch 21 inches, Dollarhide Summit 18 inches, Garfield Ranger Station 11 inches, Galena 21 inches, Galena Summit 25 inches, Lost Wood Divide 32 inches, Swede Peak 14 inches, and Vienna Mine 27 inches.
The Hilt's Creek SNOTEL reported 11 inches of snow.
A powerful winter storm brought heavy snow and strong winds to the Upper Snake River Plain. Snow amounts throughout the region reported were the following : 7 inches in Hamer, 8 inches in Rigby, 9 to 12 inches in Idaho Falls, and 12 inches in Sugar City. At 1030 AM on the 16th a semi-trailer jackknifed between exits 108 and 113 north bound on interstate 15 slowing down traffic to one lane. This caused three other vehicles to crash or drive off the road.
Heavy snow fell in the Lower Snake River Plain on the 16th. Spotters and NWS employees reported amounts of 9 to 12 inches in the Pocatello and Chubbuck area. Fort Hall and Blackfoot spotters reported between 6 and 10 inches. At around 5 pm several cars had slid off interstate 15 near the Blackfoot exit stopping southbound traffic as several autos needed to be towed from the ditch. Bingham County reported as many as 10 wrecks near that exit.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2016
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: 671935, 672052, 672170, 672177, 672211, 672221, 672241, 672055, 672165.