A winter storm brought heavy snow to mainly the Snake River Plain where 3 to 7 inches of snow fell.
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.
A winter storm brought heavy snow to mainly the Snake River Plain where 3 to 7 inches of snow fell.
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 15, 8:55 PM MST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 855 PM MST Fri Dec 15 2017 .UPDATE...Looks like snow will be a bit slower to move into the central mountains (outside of the Sawtooths) and Upper Snake Highlands this evening. It should quickly spread east after that. We did crank down snow amounts a bit through sunrise as the amounts forecast seem a bit bullish based on trends and the pattern we are set up with right now. The WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY will remain in place. Impacts will all depend on hourly rates especially over the passes in the highlands and a developing band across the Snake Plain. There is still some discrepancy on how much (and how quickly) it falls with the convergence band, which isn't as clear-cut as it appeared before. We are also seeing some hints at fog so we added through midnight the potential for patchy fog across the Snake Plain and into portion of the southern and eastern highlands. Impacts from the fog should NOT be an issue like the past several nights. Keyes && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 159 PM MST Fri Dec 15 2017/ SHORT TERM...Tonight through Monday afternoon. A low pressure disturbance is currently advancing across eastern Oregon and Washington with areas of snow yet to reach Idaho, but cloud cover is advancing quickly into the central mountains. The associated surface cold front should reach Stanley about 10 pm MST this evening and cross into the Arco Desert about 2 am Saturday morning, then east into the Caribou Highlands by 5-6 am. A surface convergence boundary will set up behind the front roughly on a Dubois to Arco line and advance through Idaho Falls and Pocatello about the middle of the afternoon and will serve as a focus for snow during the day. Snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches is expected in the snake Plain and up to 3 inches on the east bench areas; 2 to 4 inches in the Upper snake Highlands with locally higher amounts around Macks Inn and Pine Creek Pass, and mostly 2 to 4 inches further south to Soda Springs and Bear Lake area. Limited accumulations of 1 to 3 inches is expected in the central mountains. Snow tappers off in the Snake Plain late afternoon and the eastern highlands Saturday morning. Snow ends until west-northwest winds aloft bring a chance of snow to the mountains from midnight Sunday through the day Monday, but with accumulation only 1 to 3 inches in the mountains and generally a dusting in the lower valleys. RS LONG TERM....LONG TERM...Monday Night through Friday. Lingering snow showers are forecast over the eastern portion of Idaho Monday evening with clearing conditions forecast going into Tuesday. A slightly warmer day is forecast for Tuesday, with temperatures above freezing for several locations. Our next weather system arrives on Wednesday. This one is looking to be perhaps a substantial one in snow amounts and impacts regarding blowing snow and snow accumulation. Long term model solutions are still agreeing with each now in timing of the system being Wednesday morning across the Central and quickly spreading southeastward during the day. Fairly decent amounts of moisture are currently noted across the mountains, both in the Central Mountains and in the Southern Highland areas, then spreading eastwards later in the day. Depending on how the trough/potential closed low tracks, there could be decent amounts of moisture in the Snake River Plain as well. We will be watching the track of this system very closely in coming days as this is the most impactful weather system in our forecast period. The trough/low is expected to get pushed southward by very cold air by Thursday, bringing our area temperatures in the single digits and teens. Perhaps some areas will see below 0, in fact it is likely. NP/RS AVIATION...The fog has decidedly cleared many areas this afternoon; and it is a challenge deciding whether or not the fog/mist will return this evening/overnight. The reason for this low confidence is the approach of a weather system this evening, which will bring moisture in the form of snow showers instead of fog/mist. The question is timing. Therefore, have left a forecast of lowered ceilings in the TAF forecast for IDA with hints that it may return at PIH, DIJ and BYI. Expect snow showers to reduce visibility and ceilings by early morning; however. NP/RS Air Stagnation...The disturbance on Saturday will help improve air circulation in the lower valleys, disrupting the inversion conditions until later in the week. RS && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM to 5 PM MST Saturday for IDZ020-021-023-025. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST Saturday for IDZ019. &&
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Widespread 3 to 7 inches of snow fell in the Pocatello area with the highest measured at 6.7 inches in East Chubbuck.
Three to 5 inches of snow fell with several minor crashes reported by Bonneville County Police. One crash was on the Lewisville Highway which a vehicle took out a power pole and brought down lines. 55 Rocky Mountain Power customers lost power due to the accident.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2017
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: 732321, 732322.