Idaho, 2023

Heavy Snow and High Wind in Idaho, December 2 to 3, 2023

December 2 to 3, 2023 · NWS BOI · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

A deep upper level trough brought two strong storms in short progression over a two day period in the beginning of December. Strong winds and high snowfall totals made travel difficult in the mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
6

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 BOI wrote it up.

A deep upper level trough brought two strong storms in short progression over a two day period in the beginning of December. Strong winds and high snowfall totals made travel difficult in the mountains.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, West Central Mountains

When
December 2, 12:00 AM MST to 7:00 AM MST
Where
West Central Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.543, -116.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The COOP observer station at Deadwood Reservoir, 30 miles north of Lowman, measured 6.5 inches.

Heavy Snow, Upper Treasure Valley

When
December 2, 12:00 AM MST to 7:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Treasure Valley forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
43.129, -115.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The CoCoRaHS station ID-EL-11 near Mountain Home, 20 miles southeast of Boise measured 2.6 inches.

High Wind, Boise Mountains

When
December 2, 10:00 AM MST to 11:00 AM MST
Where
Boise Mountains forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
43.602, -115.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The mesonet station, CW0406, 1.0 miles southeast of Featherville measured a high wind gust.

High Wind, Owyhee Mountains

When
December 2, 2:00 PM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where
Owyhee Mountains forecast zone
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
42.582, -116.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The mesonet station, PCKI1, 19.0 miles southeast of Riddle measured a high wind gust.

Heavy Snow, Boise Mountains

When
December 3, 12:00 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where
Boise Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.602, -115.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A member of the public near Prairie, ID measured 20.0 inches of snow from Friday to Sunday.

Heavy Snow, Upper Weiser Valley

When
December 3, 12:00 AM MST to 9:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Weiser Valley forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
44.671, -116.619 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The CoCoRaHS station ID-AM-3 near New Meadows, 2 miles northwest of New Meadows, measured 5.5 inches.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Idaho in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2023

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1149667, 1149669, 1149692, 1149693, 1149666, 1149694.