A snowmobiler was killed by an avalanche near Island Park east of Reyes Peak just below the waterfall.
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 snowmobiler was killed by an avalanche near Island Park east of Reyes Peak just below the waterfall.
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 20, 1:10 PM MST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 110 PM MST Sat Jan 20 2018 .SHORT TERM...Tonight through Tuesday. Upper ridge moving through Idaho Sunday and expect mainly dry weather through Sunday afternoon. Could see lingering snow showers in eastern highlands early this evening but not expecting any accumulations of significance. The next fast moving weak Pacific system will begin affecting the central mountains Sunday evening and spread quickly east overnight Sunday into Monday morning with snow lingering in the eastern highlands through Monday night. This quick moving system should generally produce 1 to 3 inches of snow across southeast Idaho with mountain areas closer to the 3 inch level with locally higher amounts over passes. The Snake River Plain should be closer to the 1 inch amount. Expect some slick driving conditions Sunday night through Monday morning. Should see dry conditions again Tuesday with only mountain snow showers. Temperatures will be close to normal Sunday then expect slight moderation to above normal Monday and Tuesday. Should have breezy conditions Monday in Snake Plain. GK .LONG TERM...Tuesday night through Saturday. As expected, overall model guidance has been changing its tune during todays latest run. The main weather system this forecast period (Wednesday into Thursday) has been slowed down in its progression eastward toward Idaho. Initially, high amounts of precipitation were indicated for Wednesday and now that day looks mostly dry. Tuesday night into Wednesday looks to be a continued transition period for Southeast Idaho ahead of this more significant weather system. Still though, emphasis should be placed on the low confidence regarding this particular storms progression at this time. There is still another, weaker system to pass through Idaho first. During the day Thursday, a trough/cold front is expected to extend across the western US/cross Montana/Idaho/Utah and through the SW US. We are still looking at decent amounts of moisture with this system; but now are looking at Thursday for the more impactful day. We will also be monitoring flow behind this system for potential additional troughs that could provide snow accumulations going through Friday. Snow levels will be dramatically low at this point (especially late week) and snow will thus be forecast everywhere in SE Idaho. An additional weather system may bring another round of snow showers to the region over the weekend. NP/GK && .AVIATION...Low stratus deck continuing across PIH and DIJ this morning, which is forecast to hold and even may reappear at IDA for a short period at IDA early this afternoon. Have forecast continued MVFR ceilings as a result at these sites early this afternoon. This should burn off and winds are still expected to shift from the north at PIH (which they already have at the other 2 sites) today. Expect re-developing low stratus and possible mist/fog tonight at IDA and PIH. For BYI and SUN, VFR conditions are forecast without additional concerns. NP/GK && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
833 AM MST SAT JAN 20 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0831 AM SNOW 6 SSE GRACE 42.50N 111.68W
01/20/2018 M3.0 INCH CARIBOU ID TRAINED SPOTTER
0.30 LIQUID
&&
GKAISERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
919 AM MST SAT JAN 20 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW 33 WNW ARCO 43.75N 113.93W
01/20/2018 E3.8 INCH CUSTER ID MESONET
BEAR CANYON SNOTEL 7903 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 30 SW BURLEY 42.17N 114.20W
01/20/2018 E2.8 INCH CASSIA ID MESONET
BOSTETTER R.S. SNOTEL 7503 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 11 NE SPENCER 44.43N 112.00W
01/20/2018 E1.4 INCH CLARK ID MESONET
CRAB CREEK SNOTEL 6686 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 16 WSW KETCHUM 43.60N 114.67W
01/20/2018 E1.6 INCH BLAINE ID MESONET
DOLLARHIDE SUMMIT SNOTEL 8421 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW 20 NE PRESTON 42.37N 111.57W
01/20/2018 E9.1 INCH FRANKLIN ID MESONET
EMIGRANT SUMMIT SNOTEL 7390 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 22 NW KETCHUM 43.87N 114.72W
01/20/2018 E1.7 INCH BLAINE ID MESONET
GALENA SUMMIT SNOTEL 8782 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW 30 NNW ARCO 44.02N 113.47W
01/20/2018 E6.3 INCH CUSTER ID MESONET
HILTS CREEK SNOTEL 8001 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 18 SE BURLEY 42.32N 113.62W
01/20/2018 E4.3 INCH CASSIA ID MESONET
HOWELL CANYON SNOTEL 7982 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 1 W ISLAND PARK 44.42N 111.38W
01/20/2018 E4.5 INCH FREMONT ID MESONET
ISLAND PARK SNOTEL 6293 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 28 NE STANLEY 44.47N 114.48W
01/20/2018 E1.5 INCH CUSTER ID MESONET
MILL CREEK SUMMIT SNOTEL 8870 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 14 NW PRESTON 42.27N 112.13W
01/20/2018 E2.7 INCH FRANKLIN ID MESONET
OXFORD SPRINGS SNOTEL 6740 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 38 E IDAHO FALLS 43.57N 111.22W
01/20/2018 E1.2 INCH BONNEVILLE ID MESONET
PINE CREEK PASS SNOTEL 6720 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 10 SSE LAVA HOT SPRINGS 42.52N 111.95W
01/20/2018 E3.2 INCH BANNOCK ID MESONET
SEDWICK PEAK SNOTEL 7897 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 14 N MONTPELIER 42.57N 111.30W
01/20/2018 E4.5 INCH BEAR LAKE ID MESONET
SLUG CREEK DIVIDE SNOTEL 7225 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 17 SW MACKAY 43.73N 113.83W
01/20/2018 E1.5 INCH CUSTER ID MESONET
SMILEY MOUNTAIN SNOTEL 9520 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 2 NE WAYAN 42.95N 111.37W
01/20/2018 E2.2 INCH CARIBOU ID MESONET
SOMSEN RANCH SNOTEL 6801 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 32 E BLACKFOOT 43.22N 111.68W
01/20/2018 E1.4 INCH BINGHAM ID MESONET
SHEEP MOUNTAIN SNOTEL 6571 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 21 ENE HAILEY 43.63N 113.97W
01/20/2018 E1.1 INCH BLAINE ID MESONET
SWEDE PEAK SNOTEL 7641 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 22 NW KETCHUM 43.80N 114.85W
01/20/2018 E1.4 INCH BLAINE ID MESONET
VIENNA MINE SNOTEL 8963 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW 7 S POCATELLO 42.75N 112.48W
01/20/2018 E3.0 INCH BANNOCK ID MESONET
WILDHORSE DIVIDE SNOTEL 6490 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW 8 NW ISLAND PARK 44.53N 111.42W
01/20/2018 E9.4 INCH FREMONT ID MESONET
WHITE ELEPHANT SNOTEL 7713 MSL. 22-HOUR TOTAL.
&&
NP1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
A snowmobiler was killed by an avalanche near Island Park east of Reyes Peak just below the waterfall.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche, Upper Snake Highlands | 2018-01-20 | 46 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, January 2018
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: 737438.