The latest in a long line of winter storms again brought very heavy snowfall as well as winds to southeast Idaho. The heaviest snow mainly affected the Eastern Magic Valley, Snake River Plain and all of the southern mountains.
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.
The latest in a long line of winter storms again brought very heavy snowfall as well as winds to southeast Idaho. The heaviest snow mainly affected the Eastern Magic Valley, Snake River Plain and all of the southern mountains. Many areas received over a foot of snowfall and again many roads experienced closures across southeast Idaho.
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 Jan 22, 4:57 AM MST, 5 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 457 AM MST Sun Jan 22 2017 .SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday. A moist cold front moves into our Western areas late this morning and exits our Eastern areas by Monday. Currently models are showing 2 to 5 inches of valley snow with the exception of areas along the I-86 corridor where a Trace to 2 inches is expected. Look for 6 to 12 inches of mountain snow for the Central mountains, the Upper Snake Highlands, the Caribou Highlands, the Wasatch mountains, and the Eastern Southern Highlands. The Caribou Highlands and the Wasatch mountains above 7500 feet could see 16 to 20 inches of snow. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the Caribou Highlands and the Wasatch mountains/Bear Lake Region. Winter Weather advisories are in effect for all other areas except the lower snake river plain. Today into Monday morning downslope Southerly winds will keep temperatures elevated, particularly along the I-86 corridor from Pocatello to Burley. Also, expect wind gusts of 25 to 40 mph across the area today into this evening bringing blowing and drifting snow. The higher wind gusts will be across the Southern Highlands and Central mountains which will likely impact roads particularly for mountain passes. There is high uncertainty from Monday afternoon into Tuesday. Both models develop a low. However, the Nam 12 model drops the low south of our area and brings very little precipitation across our area Monday afternoon into Tuesday. The GFS model develops the low over our area and brings additional snow for the lower Central/Pahsimeroi mountains and Upper Snake Highlands. With cooler temperatures the GFS model is showing snow for the I-86 Corridor as well as additional snow for the Southern Highlands, Caribou highlands and the Bear Lake region. Wyatt .LONG TERM...Wednesday through next Sunday. Both the GFS and ECMWF maintain a Canadian trough over the region while Pac moisture undercuts a ridge developing off the NW coast helping to sustain ongoing light snow shower activity across the region through at least Friday morning. The ridge amplifies across the NW states Friday afternoon and remains the dominant feature through Sunday promoting dry conditions and colder nights. Huston && .AVIATION...The next Pac low was advancing toward the NW coast early this morning. Numerical models show the leading edge of the associated precipitation plume advancing into SE Idaho around noon today impacting all terminals through the afternoon hours and then shifting into the SE highlands with some clearing across the CNTRL Idaho mountains overnight. We will favor MVFR/IFR CIGS with the initial onset of moisture at most terminals this afternoon (KBYI may be the one exception) and then allow some improvement at KSUN overnight as the focus shifts into the SE highlands. The models show a fairly good clip of wind 20-35kt developing at and above the top of the surface inversion this morning and continuing into the afternoon. Wind already blowing out of the south at KPIH and KIDA so the LLWS previously forecast at these terminals may be too aggressive. Huston && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from noon today to noon MST Monday for IDZ017-018-020-031-032. Winter Storm Warning from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM MST Monday for IDZ023-025. Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to noon MST Monday for IDZ022-024. Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM MST Monday for IDZ019. &&
8 winter storm, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Extremely heavy snow fell in the Idaho Wasatch with the following SNOTEL amounts: Franklin Basin 34 inches, Giveout 16 inches, Slug Creek Divide 24 inches. The COOP observer in Bern reported 12 inches. All Bear Lake County schools were closed on the 23rd and 24th.
Extremely heavy snowfall caused hazardous travel and school shutdowns in the Caribou Highlands. Snowfall reports from COOP observers were: 6.5 inches in Bone, 19 inches in Downey, 8.5 inches in Swan Valley, and 11 inches in McCammon. Interstate 15 was closed on the evening of the 23rd for a short time near Downey due to a traffic accident. SNOTEL amounts were 25 inches at Sedgwick Peak, 10 inches at Sheep Mountain, 16 inches at Somsen Ranch, and 19 inches at Wildhorse Divide. Marsh Valley School District 21 and North Gem School District 149 were closed on the 23rd and 24th. All Caribou County Schools were closed on the 23rd and 24th as well.
A very powerful Pacific storm brought heavy snow and strong winds to the South Central Highlands. COOP observers reported 13.5 inches of snow in Malad City and 7.2 inches in Malta. SNOTEL amounts were 17 inches at Magic Mountain, 9 inches at Bostetter Ranger Station, 13 inches at Howell Canyon, and 22 inches at Oxford Springs. Oneida County schools were closed on the 23rd and 24th and Cassia County Schools were closed on the 24th. Snow and wind closed Highway 38 from Malad to Holbrook on the 23rd and 24th. Highway 77 was closed from Malta to Declo. Highway 81 was closed from milepost 0.5 in Malta to milepost 15.
Another Pacific storm brought extremely heavy snow to the Cache Valley. The Preston COOP observer reported 12.9 inches of snow. The Westside School District 202 was closed on the 23rd. Preston Schools were closed on the 24th. Highway 36 between Interstate 15 and Weston was closed for several hours on the 23rd due to a tractor-trailer and other vehicles getting stuck.
Although the heaviest snow with this storm fell to the south and southeast of the Wood River region, the Galena Summit SNOTEL got 10 inches of snow and the Lost Wood Divide SNOTEL got 8 inches. COOP observers reported 5 inches in Bellevue and 7.2 inches in Ketchum. Although not receiving heavy snow, the weight of the month's total snow collapsed a building in Bellevue in the early morning hours on the 24th.
Although snowfall was not heavy in the Upper Snake Highlands, the combination of snow and wind closed Highway 28 through all of Clark County in western Clark County on the 23rd and 24th. Highway 22 was also closed west of Dubois. Snow amounts were 4 inches in Dubois, 6 inches in St. Anthony, and 3 inches in Small.
A powerful winter storm brought heavy snow and strong winds to the Upper Snake River Plain. The snow closed Firth School District 59 on the 23rd. Snow amounts from COOP observers were 5.5 inches in Hamer, 12 inches at Craters of the Moon, 6 inches at INL, 10 inches at Idaho Falls, 6 inches at Rigby, and 4 inches in Sugar City. The combination of snow and wind caused Highway 26 to be closed from 5 miles west of Atomic City to 5 miles west of Blackfoot. Highway 28 was closed from Mud Lake west through the remainder of Jefferson County. An Idaho Transportation Department snowplow rolled over while working on US Highway 20 near milepost 278 at 3:30 pm on the 23rd, near the east boundary of INL site. Travel was blocked in all lanes for over 5 hours. The weight of snow collapsed a vacant building on Rollandet Street in Idaho Falls on the morning of the 24th. Idaho State Police District 6 reported 27 slide-offs and 7 crashes on the 23rd and 24th.
Heavy snow fell in the Eastern Magic Valley with 6 inches in Richfield and 7.5 inches at Minidoka Dam. Strong winds caused extensive blowing and drifting snow and Highway 77 was closed on the 23rd and 24th from Declo south through Malta due to the extreme drifting. The Dietrich, Shoshone, Richfield, and Minidoka County schools were all closed on the 24th due to the dangerous driving conditions.
Another in a series of winter storms brought extremely heavy snow and strong winds to the Lower Snake River Plain. The following snow amounts were reported by COOP observers, spotters, and NWS employees: Aberdeen 15 inches, American Falls 9.5 inches, Fort Hall 7 inches, Pocatello benches 15 to 25 inches, Pocatello NWS office 13.4 inches, Chubbuck 14 inches, downtown Pocatello 9 inches. The 8.6 inches at the Pocatello NWS office on the 23rd was a single day record for the month of January. Highway 26 was closed 5 miles west of Blackfoot on the 23rd and 24th due to the snow and high winds. Aberdeen schools were sent home early on the 23rd and were closed on the 24th. Pocatello-Chubbuck School District 25, American Falls School District 381, Blackfoot School District 55, Snake River School District 52 and Shoshone-Bannock Schools were all closed on the 24th. Idaho State University closed classes on the 24th. Pocatello City and non-essential Bannock County offices were also closed on the 24th. The Pocatello NWS office set a record for total January snowfall with this storm with a monthly total of 32.2 inches.
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, January 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: 677849, 677846, 677840, 677848, 677850, 677819, 677821, 677818, 677833.