Idaho, 2019

Heavy Snow in Idaho, February 19 to 20, 2019

February 19 to 20, 2019 · NWS PIH · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Another winter storm brought heavy snow to the Lower Snake River Plain and Marsh Valley and Arbon Highlands.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

Another winter storm brought heavy snow to the Lower Snake River Plain and Marsh Valley and Arbon Highlands.

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 Feb 19, 1:48 PM MST, 4 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 19, 1:48 PM MST, 4 hours 12 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Lower Snake River Plain

When
February 19, 6:00 PM MST to February 20, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Lower Snake River Plain forecast zone
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
42.860, -112.488 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow was widespread from American Falls through Pocatello with 4.5 inches measured by the American Falls COOP observer. 6 inches fell in Fort Hall. 5 inches fell at the NWS office at the Pocatello Regional Airport. 6 to 7 inches fell in Chubbuck with 6 to 12 inches on the east and west benches of Pocatello. The American Falls Schools closed on the 20th due to the hazardous travel conditions.

Heavy Snow, Marsh and Arbon Highlands

When
February 19, 6:00 PM MST to February 20, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Marsh and Arbon Highlands forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.838, -112.256 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter on Buckskin Road east of Pocatello in the highlands reported over two feet of powdery snow overnight on the 19th and 20th. The Inkom COOP observer recorded 7 inches.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Idaho in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, February 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 810274, 810278.