Idaho, 2022

Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Idaho, December 20 to 21, 2022

December 20 to 21, 2022 · NWS MSO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A strong upper level jet and Pacific moisture brought multiple hours of heavy snow rates and difficult travel across the Clearwater Mountains. South wind gusts up to 50 mph developed ahead of a cold front in Grangeville and vicinity.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
3

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 MSO wrote it up.

A strong upper level jet and Pacific moisture brought multiple hours of heavy snow rates and difficult travel across the Clearwater Mountains. South wind gusts up to 50 mph developed ahead of a cold front in Grangeville and vicinity. Heavy snow briefly developed in Grangeville and vicinity as the cold front passed.

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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 20, 2:55 AM PST, 7 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 20, 2:55 AM PST, 7 hours 5 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 20, 7:36 AM PST, 2 hours 24 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 20, 8:05 AM PST, 1 hour 55 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 20, 8:15 AM PST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 20, 9:53 AM PST, 7 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 winter weather, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Clearwater Mountains

When
December 20, 10:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
Where
Northern Clearwater Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
46.674, -115.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Clearwater County road officials reported 18 inches of snow in Cardiff, with snowfall rates exceeding one inch per hour. Elk River received around 10 inches of snow, with mountain sites, such as Elk Butte Snotel picking up at least 12 inches.

Winter Weather, Southern Clearwater Mountains

When
December 20, 2:00 PM PST to December 21, 12:00 AM PST
Where
Southern Clearwater Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.844, -115.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dixie received 5.8 inches of snow. Snotel sites along US Highway 2 reported 8 to 13 inches.

Winter Weather, Orofino / Grangeville Region

When
December 20, 4:00 PM PST to December 21, 2:00 AM PST
Where
Orofino / Grangeville Region forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.259, -115.562 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

South wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph led to areas of blowing snow in Grangeville and vicinity. Two hours of heavy snow was observed in Grangeville, with 4 inches of snow being reported. Other sites picked up 1 to 3 inches of accumulation, including Orofino.

What these are

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

More

Every storm in Idaho in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2022

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: 1063152, 1063153, 1063154.