Winter Weather in Idaho, December 2, 2019

Name: Winter Weather in Idaho, December 2, 2019
Start: 2019-12-02T18:20
End: 2019-12-02T22:00
Location: Idaho

December 2, 2019 · NWS PIH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Freezing drizzle during the evening of December 2nd caused slick roads in the Idaho Falls region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PIH wrote it up.

Freezing drizzle during the evening of December 2nd caused slick roads in the Idaho Falls region.

What forecasters said that day

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 Dec 2, 1:47 PM MST, 4 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 2, 1:47 PM MST, 4 hours 33 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
147 PM MST Mon Dec 2 2019

.DISCUSSION...

A band of snow continues to push through the region this afternoon.
Models show snow diminishing this evening with an additional 1 to 2
inches possible. However, model sounding show that the low level are
very juicy and some of the models are continue to generate
qpf...often times an indicator of freezing drizzle. The potential
looks good especially north and east of Blackfoot. Have decided to
extend and expand the current winter weather advisory to account for
freezing drizzle. If it develops, this could last for several hours
potentially creating extremely hazardous roads for Tuesday morning.
Will extend the advisory south to include Pocatello, McCammon, and
Soda Springs. Some spots may remain above freezing, and there is a
possibility of this occurring in Pocatello City. Also, there's a
possibility of the moisture simply developing into dense fog or
possibly a very low cloud deck. So, its not a slam dunk.

Models show low clouds lingering into midweek. Looks like a low
pressure system will pass south of the region on Wednesday, keeping
most areas dry. Next system of any real significance doesn't arrive
until next weekend from the northwest. If it holds together we could
see some snow for the high country with either all snow or rain snow
mix for the lower elevations.

Valle

&&

.AVIATION...TAFs to be a headache this afternoon with the final
round of precipitation now overhead and continuing into the evening.
Expect IFR conditions at least at times with clearing to marginal
VFR for the overnight hours, until around sunrise. Stratus and fog
expected to be problematic at mainly KIDA and KDIJ, but also KBYI
and KPIH. Stratus won't be a problem for KSUN until the wind becomes
southeast during the afternoon, at which time it could advect up the
Wood River Valley. Little or no wind. Messick

&&

.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until 11 AM MST Tuesday for IDZ053-054-
058-062>066.

&&

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Upper Snake River Plain

When: December 2, 6:20 PM MST to 10:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Snake River Plain forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 43.805, -111.767 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing drizzle caused a glaze on untreated roadways in the Idaho Falls area. One collision occurred at the intersection of North Holmes and Hemmert Ave. Two vehicles hit power poles. Freezing drizzle reported in Ammon, Rigby, and Ucon as well. Interstate 15 was reported icy from Shelley to Idaho Falls at 8 pm MST.

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Idaho in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Idaho, December 2019

Sources

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: 868216.