Another in a series of Pacific storms brought more heavy snow, high winds and avalanches resulting in some road closures across southeast Idaho.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
Another in a series of Pacific storms brought more heavy snow, high winds and avalanches resulting in some road closures across southeast Idaho.
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 Mar 13, 2:22 AM MST, 4 hours 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 322 AM MDT Mon Mar 13 2023 .SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday night. Main impact in short term will be extended atmospheric river event. Will have rising snow levels to the 6 thousand to 7 thousand foot range by late today after starting at valley floors this morning. Winter storm warnings are in effect for the Sawtooths, Sun Valley region and Big Lost Highlands through Wednesday. Over a foot of snow is likely mainly above 7500 feet with much lesser amounts at lower elevations. Upwards of 2 feet will fall above pass level. A winter storm watch is in effect Tuesday morning through Wednesday for the high elevations of the eastern mountains where again heaviest amounts will be over 7500 feet. Breezy to windy conditions on Tuesday will also cause blowing snow at pass levels. Rain will likely fall by Monday afternoon at elevations below 6500 feet and there is expected to be some low level ponding and minor flooding with an extended period of above freezing temperatures this afternoon through Wednesday. GK .LONG TERM...Wednesday through next Monday. The current weather pattern will culminate with a cold front and upper trough passage Wednesday. The 12Z EFI continues to highlight the Central Mountains and Eastern Highlands for snow Wednesday. It looks like the front should pass through around mid-day Wednesday, and snow levels should lower to valley floors later Wednesday afternoon. The heaviest precip should come to an end before much snowfall accumulates in the Snake Plain, but we could see some lingering snow through midnight over the Southeastern Highlands due to upslope-favored flow as well as a post-frontal convergence band. Sustained winds will be around 20 to 25 mph across the Snake Plain Wednesday. For the rest of the week, deterministic models are keeping us under a broad upper ridge with no precipitation expected until possibly Saturday. Hinsberger && .AVIATION...Multiple rounds of rain and/or snow are expected today. We'll likely see predominant MVFR conditions with a chance of IFR conditions at SUN this morning, and this afternoon at IDA and DIJ. Statistical guidance is supporting increased winds tonight with the approach of an upper trough. Snow is more favored at SUN, IDA, and DIJ while rain is more likely at PIH and BYI. Hinsberger && .HYDROLOGY... Warmer temperatures today and Tuesday into Wednesday and a long period of above freezing temperatures overnight tonight and Tuesday night could cause some minor flooding the next couple of days as snowmelt below 6 thousand feet will likely occur. GK && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Watch from Tuesday morning through Wednesday evening for IDZ060-063-064-066. Winter Storm Warning from 7 AM this morning to 7 PM MDT Wednesday for IDZ072>074. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 winter storm, 5 high wind, 1 heavy snow, 1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
An estimated 15 inches of snow fell at the Vienna Mine SNOTEL site.
An estimated 11 inches of snow fell at the Bear Canyon and Smiley Mountain SNOTEL sites on the 14th with strong winds on the 15th with 53 mph gusts measured at Copper Basin.
Snow and strong winds caused whiteout conditions on interstate 15 and it was closed on the morning of the 10th from Dubois to the Montana state line. The Small COOP observer measured 5 inches of snowfall. Blue Dome measured a 61 mph wind gust and a 56 mph gust was measured 4 miles north northwest of Humphery.
The COOP observer in Ketchum measured 14 inches of snow. 18 inches was measured on Bald Mountain. Several wind gust over 50 mph were measured near Ketchum overnight on the 14th and early morning of the 15th. The An estimated 11 inches of snow fell at the Lost Wood Divide SNOTEL site on the 14th.
The Island Park COOP observer measured 10.3 inches of snow with an estimated 11 inches at the White Elephant SNOTEL site. The North Fremont Schools closed early on the 15th due to blowing and drifting snow and near whiteout conditions.
Several 60 to 70 mph wind gusts were measured in the Idahome area with a peak of 68 mph at 1100 AM MDT.
Strong winds caused extensive blowing and drifting snow with multiple 50 to 60 mph gusts measured in the Clementsville area 2 AM and 1130 AM MDT on the 15th. Idaho Highway 33 closed from Newdale to Tetonia at 1115 AM MDT and the north Fremont Schools closed early on the 15th due to the whiteout conditions encountered on roadways.
Widespread 50 to 60 mph wind gusts were measured overnight on the 14th into the morning of the 15th with a peak gust of 60 mph at the Pocatello Regional Airport.
A Pacific storm system brought 50 to 60 mph wind gusts early in the morning of the 15th with 58 mph 9 miles south southwest of Mud Lake and 57 mph at Sand Dunes. 57 mph was measured at Atomic City.
Multiple 58 mph wind gusts were measured at the Cotton Ridge RAWS site.
Widespread 50 mph and greater wind gusts were recorded on the 15th with a peak of 59 mph at Kettle Butte. Rexburg Madison Airport recorded 54 mph and the Idaho Falls Airport measured 52 mph. Idaho Highway 33 was closed to extreme winds causing whiteout conditions at 1115 AM on the 15h from Newdale to Tetonia.
An avalanche went across US Highway 26 just southeast of Palisades with 6 feet of snow across the road at 430 AM MDT then a resulting Rock slide occurred at 630 AM MDT with 4 feet of rock across the roadway. The highway closed down then from Swan Valley to the Wyoming border.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, March 2023
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: 1091118, 1091027, 1091016, 1091137, 1091092, 1091116, 1091140, 1091101, 1090999, 1091129, 1091141, 1091078.