Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Idaho, December 14 to 15, 2024

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Idaho, December 14 to 15, 2024
Start: 2024-12-14T04:00
End: 2024-12-15T16:00
Location: Idaho

December 14 to 15, 2024 · NWS PIH · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A Pacific storm system with localized heavy snowfall caused extensive travel issues with one fatality possibly due to the road conditions.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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: $33,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

A Pacific storm system with localized heavy snowfall caused extensive travel issues with one fatality possibly due to the road conditions.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter storm, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Upper Snake River Plain

When: December 14, 4:00 AM MST to December 15, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Snake River Plain forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.805, -111.767 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snowfall and winds caused very hazardous roadways. Only 1 to 3 inches of snow fell but US Highway 26 was closed from Ririe to Swan Valley due to blowing snow and reduced visibility. As many as 27 vehicles reportedly slid off of interstate 15 between Pocatello and Idaho Falls.

Winter Storm, Marsh and Arbon Highlands

When: December 14, 4:00 AM MST to December 15, 4:00 PM MST
Where: Marsh and Arbon Highlands forecast zone
Property damage: $8,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.838, -112.256 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A pickup truck flipped over on interstate 15 west of Inkom at 1039 AM MST. Total snowfall totals were 8.5 inches 6 miles north of Inkom, an estimated 13.6 inches at the Sedgwick Peak SNOTEL site and 9.2 inches at the Wildhorse Divide SNOTEL site.

Winter Storm, Caribou Range

When: December 14, 4:00 AM MST to December 15, 3:00 PM MST
Where: Caribou Range forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 42.815, -111.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A fatal auto accident occurred at 216 PM MST on US Highway 26 at mile marker 391 near the north end of Palisades Reservoir. A 66 year old male was killed and a 67 year old female was injured in what the Swan Valley Fire Department reported as very dangerous conditions. US 26 was closed from 240 PM to 640 PM from Palisades Dam to the Wyoming border. US Highway 26 also closed at 9 AM on the 15th due to blowing snow and reduced visibility. Snowfall estimates at SNOTEL sites were 11 inches at Slug Creek Divide, 8 inches at Giveout, and 7 inches at Somsen Ranch.

Winter Storm, Bear River Range

When: December 14, 4:00 AM MST to December 15, 3:00 PM MST
Where: Bear River Range forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 42.412, -111.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall totals estimated by SNOTEL sites were 14.6 inches at Emigrant Summit and Franklin Basin.

Winter Storm, Wood River Foothills

When: December 14, 4:00 AM MST to December 15, 3:00 PM MST
Where: Wood River Foothills forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.412, -113.980 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in the Wood River Foothills with the following amounts recorded: Hailey 11 inches, Bellevue 11 inches and Picabo 6 inches.

Winter Storm, Sun Valley Region

When: December 14, 4:00 AM MST to December 15, 4:00 PM MST
Where: Sun Valley Region forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.826, -114.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts were 10.6 inches 1 mile SSE of Ketchum, 9 inches 2 miles SW of Ketchum, 9 inches at Galena Lodge. An estimated 10.6 inches of snow fell at 10.6 at the Dollarhide Summit SNOTEL site.

Winter Storm, Teton Valley

When: December 14, 4:00 AM MST to December 15, 4:00 PM MST
Where: Teton Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.924, -111.450 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts in the Teton Valley with 16.8 inches 4 miles west of Victor, 9 inches 3 miles north of Victor and 3.4 inches northeast of Driggs.

Winter Weather, Lower Snake River Plain

When: December 14, 5:00 AM MST to December 15, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Lower Snake River Plain forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.860, -112.488 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snowfall brought snow covered roads which led to numerous vehicle slide offs on interstate 15 between Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Snowfall was light with most areas under one inch.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
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 2024 Every state in 2024 This day in weather history Warnings in Idaho, December 2024

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: 1229762, 1229763, 1229764, 1229765, 1229770, 1229773, 1229777, 1229761.