A motorist was hit with an avalanche on Highway 75 on February 19th. It hit just south of Cherry Creek and buried her car.
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 motorist was hit with an avalanche on Highway 75 on February 19th. It hit just south of Cherry Creek and buried her car. It was 40 feet wide and 6 feet deep. The car was freed in an hour and a half.
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 Feb 19, 2:07 PM MST, 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 207 PM MST Sun Feb 19 2017 .SHORT TERM...Tonight through Tuesday night. Broad area of weak convection moving into western portions of forecast area this afternoon. Have seen lightning and pea size hail reports on west side of state. Believe that strongest convection across E ID will probably fit that criteria as well. Flow aloft remains unsettled tonight with broad area of weak precip mainly over higher elevations. Weak precipitation could remain focused over central mountains and along WY border, but enough of a break in widespread heavy precipitation to drop current headlines early. Next round pushes in by early Monday, and this round another significant precipitation producer into Tuesday. Snow levels rise to between 6500-7000 ft with this system, with continued rain at lower elevations. Above snow line, snow looks to be heavy at times particularly in central mountains. Total accumulations through Tuesday could reach to 2 ft at the highest elevations. Pass level likely in the 12-18" range but wouldn't be surprised to see locally higher numbers. Sharp cut off below 6500 ft with mainly rain or a very wet slushy mix to valley floors. Have issued a winter storm watch for areas above 6500 ft. Other concern with this system will be winds. Models have been consistent in showing strong 700mb jet of 65+ kts push into the region mainly Tuesday with strong sfc low deepening over central MT. Guidance continues to increase winds Monday night and both NAM/GFS numbers hitting well into advisory criteria during the day Tuesday. Jet is strongest overnight and weakens during the day but could still be sufficient to support strong winds across the region. Cold front drops through during the afternoon. Snow levels do drop toward valley floors Tuesday night, but heavy precipitation threat already over by this time. DMH .LONG TERM...Wednesday through next Sunday. Mean upper trough remains resident over the West throughout the course of next week, but models differ on the distribution of moisture. Most of the dynamics ride well to the south as the jet carves out the trough, so no significant change in PoPs. Continuing with broad-brushed chance to likely PoPs through Friday, then slight chance to chance thereafter. Temperatures will drop starting Tuesday night after a cold front pushes through. Highs Wednesday may be in the 40s, but only in the 30s thereafter. GFS/ECMWF drop a cutoff low off the WA/OR coast Friday into Saturday and drive a weak upper ridge across the forecast area. Hinsberger && .AVIATION...Generally fair weather as upper trough exits the forecast area this morning, but models are keying in on some latent instability this afternoon which may mean some isolated thunderstorms until around sunset. KIDA ceiling is below 1000 ft, but should lift to VFR as the low-levels destabilize. Conditions will begin to deteriorate again late in the TAF period as the nose of an advancing atmospheric river edges into the area. Hinsberger && .HYDROLOGY...Precipitation amounts and mild low elevation temperatures past several days have maintained and potentially worsened low land flooding threat across the region. Some rises have been seen in area creeks, and beginning to see small responses on the rivers as well. Will continue all low land flood headlines. Have also issued a flood watch for Portneuf River at Pocatello with river forecasted to rise to flood stage Monday night or very early Tuesday morning. Trend has been to increase crest and lengthen time the gage spends above flood stage. Anticipate moving to flood warning no later than Monday if trend continues, especially with continued threat of precipitation across the region and temperatures remaining near or above freezing at night in upstream basins. DMH && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Watch from Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon for IDZ018-031. &&
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Pocatello ID 212 PM MST SUN FEB 19 2017 IDZ017-021-022-192200- South Central Highlands ID-Lower Snake River Plain ID- Eastern Magic Valley ID- 212 PM MST SUN FEB 19 2017 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT... At 211 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Lake Walcott, moving east at 30 mph. Half inch hail and winds in excess of 30 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Lake Walcott, Neeley, Rockland, Cold Water Rest Area, Massacre Rocks and Yale Rest Area. LAT...LON 4248 11349 4265 11352 4283 11290 4247 11284 TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 262DEG 28KT 4258 11340 DMH
1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
A motorist was hit with an avalanche on Highway 75 on February 19th. It hit just south of Chaerry Creek and buried her car. It was 40 feet wide and 6 feet deep. The car was freed in an hour and a half.
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, February 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: 682231.