Multiple semi truck slide offs reported with heavy snow.
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.
Multiple semi truck slide offs reported with heavy snow.
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 19, 2:09 PM MST, 5 hours 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 209 PM MST Tue Dec 19 2017 .SHORT TERM...Tonight through Friday afternoon. Models have been pretty consistent in bringing a cold low pressure disturbance into Southeastern Idaho tonight and continuing to move it south into Utah by Thursday morning. However, this has been a challenging forecast because the models have varied greatly in the details of precipitation amounts and which areas will be affected the most. The Central Mountains have been the most consistent and 2 to 6 inches of snow is expected between 6000 and 8000 feet elevation, above 8000 feet up to 10 inches of snow. The Upper Snake Highlands have been pretty consistent as well with 2 to 5 inches in the lower elevations and up to 9 inches on the higher peaks. The South Central Highlands have trended downwards. The Snake Plain has varied from 2 to 3 inches snow accumulation to near zero. Part of this is because warm southerly winds have raised temperatures into 35 to 45 degree range in areas from Craters of The Moon southward. This opens the door for some mixed rain and snow possible over night. Winds in the Snake Plain on Wednesday have also trended lower, still windy, but but below wind advisory criteria now. As the low pressure circulation closes off over Utah, there is a chance of a convergence type event where snow will focus in the Pocatello to Cold Water stretch between Interstate 86 and the foothills of the South Central Highlands Wednesday evening. Advisories remain in effect for all mountain areas. RS .LONG TERM...Friday night through next Tuesday. Jack Frost will definitely be nipping at our noses this weekend! Models continue to show an amplified blocking ridge extending into the Yukon Territory through the weekend as we get a northerly flow over East Idaho. We'll see a disturbance drop out of Canada on Friday night. This will likely produce about 2 to 4 inches of snow over the Southeastern Highlands through Saturday, and perhaps some light accumulation in the valleys--generally less than an inch. The surface cold front associated with this disturbance will pass through early Saturday morning, which will usher in the bitter cold airmass. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday look particularly cold in the overnight hours, especially Sunday. ECMWF shows a potential for energy undercutting the upper ridge and bringing moisture across the region Christmas Day. Hinsberger && .AVIATION...Keeping VFR conditions through this evening at all terminals. South winds should mix to the surface around noon to 1pm today. Low-level wind shear will likely be present at KPIH until then. A strong weather system will push into the area overnight, bringing lowered ceilings and visibility with snow/blowing snow as the surface front approaches. Hinsberger && .HYDROLOGY...A very cold airmass will make its way into southeast Idaho this weekend. Freezing temperatures over a period of a few days will increase the likelihood of ice jamming in area rivers. Hinsberger && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 5 PM MST Wednesday for IDZ018-031-032. Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM to 11 PM MST Wednesday for IDZ019-022-023-025. &&
1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple semi truck slide offs were reported in the Island Park area by 6 pm on the 20th. The White Elephant SNOTEL reported 16 inches of snow.
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: 732323.