A major snow storm dumped heavy snow over most of Eastern Oregon and Southwest Idaho leading to snow emergencies in many locations.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 BOI wrote it up.
A major snow storm dumped heavy snow over most of Eastern Oregon and Southwest Idaho leading to snow emergencies in many locations.
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 Boise, ID wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 18, 3:28 AM MST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boise ID
328 AM MST Wed Jan 18 2017
.SHORT TERM...Today through Thursday...Freezing rain occurred for
a few hours in Baker City and Burns before changing over to snow
or a mix of freezing rain and snow. The forecast for the winter
storm remains complicated, with a mixture of snow, freezing rain
and rain in SE Oregon and SW Idaho through Thursday. The challenge
will be locations for the freezing rain and mix of weather
elements. Latest model temperatures have trended slightly lower in
the lower valleys today, likely due to the colder air mass already
in place this morning. New model runs suggest that the valley
inversion will mix out a little later this evening in the Boise
area than previously forecast. Biggest change will be lower snow
amounts near the Nevada border where temperatures this afternoon
will be above freezing and should remain above freezing for most
of tonight. Heaviest snow amounts are still on track for areas
generally north of a Burns-Ontario-Jerome line, with totals
widely variable in valley locations that receive snow mixed with
freezing rain and/or rain. Due to the complexity of the situation
and low confidence for temperatures and location of freezing rain,
will leave the winter weather headlines intact but with future
modifications as conditions warrant.
.LONG TERM...Thursday night through Tuesday...Models in good
agreement through the period. They show brief clearing Thursday
night before the next Pacific storm comes into Oregon Friday with
more snow. Storm will make only gradual eastward progress Friday
but eventually it will bring several inches of new snow to all
areas through Saturday morning. Dry and milder Saturday afternoon
and night under narrow but relatively strong upper ridge, but the
next Pacific cold front will quickly follow in with snow showers
and cooler temps Sunday. Associated upper trough will come inland
Monday and Tuesday with more snow showers. Models then hint at a
pattern change to milder wx as an upper ridge develops along the
coast Tuesday.
&&
.AVIATION...At 2 AM MST leading edge of freezing rain/sleet/snow
extended from KMYL through Hells Canyon to near KREO, shifting
east. Leading edge will reach KBOI around 7 AM MST. TAF sites will
have -FZRA/PL, except KMYL where SN should continue. Conditions
throughout the region will be IFR or MVFR in clouds and pcpn.
Surface winds generally southeast 10-20kts. Gusts to 30 kts in
Baker County. Northeast winds 30 kts near KJER. Winds aloft
southwesterly 20 to 25 kts at 10 kft MSL.
&&
.BOI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...Winter Storm Warning from 11 AM this morning to 5 PM MST
Thursday IDZ016.
Winter Storm Warning until 11 AM MST Thursday IDZ011-012-033.
Winter Weather Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 5 PM MST
Thursday IDZ015-028-030.
Winter Weather Advisory until 11 AM MST Thursday IDZ013-014-029.
OR...Winter Storm Warning until 11 AM MST /10 AM PST/ Thursday
ORZ062>064.
Winter Weather Advisory until 4 AM PST Thursday ORZ061.
&&
www.weather.gov/Boise
www.facebook.com/NWSBoise
www.twitter.com/NWSBoise
SHORT TERM...BW
LONG TERM....LC
AVIATION.....LCThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The cooperative observer at Halfway reported 16 inches of snow and social media reports of 6 to 8 inches at Baker City.
Numerous social media reports were received of 8 to 12 inches of snow around Harper and Juntura.
Numerous social media reports were received of 13 to 15 inches of snow around Ontario and Nyssa and 12 inches at Vale. Significant damage occurred to agricultural buildings housing fresh produce.
Reports of 8 to 10 inches of snow at Burns and Drewsey were received through social media.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, 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: 678721, 678717, 678719, 678722.