A warm front situated across northern California and Nevada and the overrunning precipitation spread areas of heavy snow over parts of Eastern Oregon and Southwest Idaho.
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 warm front situated across northern California and Nevada and the overrunning precipitation spread areas of heavy snow over parts of Eastern Oregon and Southwest 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 Boise, ID wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 9, 3:02 PM MST, 4 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boise ID
302 PM MST Mon Jan 9 2017
.SHORT TERM...Tonight through Wednesday...Pacific cold front
passed through western Idaho around midday with showers and gusty
winds. Slightly colder tonight with showers continuing...mainly as
snow...as upper trough comes in from the Pacific. Slush and water
may freeze late tonight creating a travel hazard. Next Pacific
warm front will move through from south to north Tuesday
afternoon/night bringing more precipitation. Snow will change to
rain behind the front below 5000 feet MSL south and 4000 feet MSL
north. Heavy snow will continue at higher elevations with new
winter storm warnings in effect through Wednesday. The Snake River
Basin will have wet snow Tuesday that may accumulate a couple
inches before the warm front changes it to rain late Tuesday or
Tuesday evening. Low temps tonight 15 to 25 in the mountains and
25 to 30 in the valleys. Lows Tuesday night in the 20s in the
mountains to near 30 in the valleys. Highs Tuesday and Wednesday
25 to 35 in the mountains and 35 to 40 in the valleys.
.LONG TERM...Wednesday night through Monday...Models remain in
good agreement through the end of the week then begin to diverge
over the weekend. Active weather pattern will continue through the
extended period with increasing confidence that there will be a
brief break in precipitation Thursday night and Friday. Cold front
will move over the area Wednesday night with lingering precipitation
over the area Thursday. Weak ridge of high pressure will move over
the area Thursday night and Friday for dry conditions and colder
temperatures. Zonal flow will set up over the forecast area by
Saturday with precipitation once again spreading over the forecast
area on Saturday and remaining over the region through Monday.
Models differ on timing of systems moving through the zonal flow
so will broad brush pops for now. Temperatures will be below
normal.
&&
.AVIATION...Areas of mountain obscuration. Scattered showers this
evening becoming widespread after 06Z. Snow levels will start out
between 3K-4K feet this evening and will fall to the valley floors
by morning. Local MVFR and isolated IFR conditions this evening
before 06Z, with areas of MVFR and local IFR conditions after 06Z.
Surface winds southwest to west 5-15 knots with local gusts to 20
knots. Winds aloft southwesterly 30-40 knots up through 10K feet
MSL.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...Recent rain and low elevation snowmelt in the lower
valleys will likely continue to cause localized minor flooding.
City streets and low-lying areas may have standing water. Small
creeks and streams may be running high as well. Cooling temperatures
will slow the snowmelt and keep additional impacts minor.
Ice jam remain a concern, particularly along the Snake River near
Payette and Ontario, and on the Payette River near the Snake River
confluence. Folks living near the river in these areas should
monitor river conditions and be prepared for fluctuating water
levels and possible lowland flooding due to shifting ice. Otherwise,
mainstem river flooding is not expected at this time.
&&
.BOI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...Winter Storm Warning until 5 PM MST Wednesday IDZ011-013-028-033.
Winter Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 5 PM MST
Wednesday IDZ015-029.
Areal Flood Advisory until 6 PM MST this evening IDZ012.
OR...Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 4 PM PST
Wednesday ORZ062.
Winter Storm Warning from 11 PM MST /10 PM PST/ this evening to
5 AM MST /4 AM PST/ Wednesday ORZ061-063.
&&
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SHORT TERM...LC
LONG TERM....JA/JC
AVIATION.....JA
HYDROLOGY....TLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The cooperative observer at Halfway reported 5 inches of snow while a trained spotter in Sumpter passed along reports of 8 to 12 inches of snow in southwest Baker County.
Trained spotters in Juntura and Harper reported 5 to 7 inches of snow.
Trained spotters around Harney County reported 5 to 7 inches of snow.
Trained spotters in Vale and Jamieson reported 4 to 6 inches of snow.
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: 678708, 678710, 678709, 678711.