Some significant snow fell in extreme southern Idaho causing hazardous travel through the region .
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.
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.
Some significant snow fell in extreme southern Idaho causing hazardous travel through the region .
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 20, 8:42 PM MST, 3 hours 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 842 PM MST Tue Feb 20 2024 .UPDATE... Updated forecast to increase snow amounts in the Preston/Bear Lake region overnight tonight. 00z HREF shows a band of precipitation moving north out of Utah late tonight into extreme southeast Idaho. Temperatures are already near freezing in that area, and believe that we may see more snow than rain/snow mix. Given the qpf suggested by NBM/HREF, there's some potential for the Preston/Bear Lake region to pick up at least a couple inches of snow overnight into tomorrow morning, and possibly closer to 4 inches if temps stay cold enough. Updated forecast to at least include a couple inches of snow there tonight and will keep a close eye on the situation there overnight. 13 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 146 PM MST Tue Feb 20 2024/ SHORT TERM...Tonight through Wed night. Zonal flow tonight will continue to produce light precipitation in the eastern highlands from MT to UT, with heavier amounts farther south, where the heaviest precipitation from a feature moving through Great Basin will hit northern UT with quite a bit of mountain snow and valley rain. The precipitation is also more convective, with the best instability at the border. The forecast amount of precipitation has a large spread the further south in eastern Idaho the location is. Another shortwave embedded in this flow will trigger some more shower activity for Wed and Wed night. The eastern highlands will once again be the focus of precipitation, although the central Idaho mountains also get some light precipitation. There is nowhere though where the snow accumulates to even moderate snow during this period. This does not preclude some extensive cloud cover and the return of fog tonight. This will keep temperatures outside of the basins of the central Idaho mountains fairly mild in the 20s, and this will allow warm temperatures for the afternoon. Finally, there is no strong wind aloft to support anything more than average wind speeds. Messick LONG TERM...One final surge of moisture looks to move through the region on Thursday but looks to only be a concern across the higher terrain of the eastern highlands. Any snow accumulations would be limited to a few tenths, at best. High pressure then builds over the area Friday and Saturday keeping us dry and allowing temperatures to warm to well above normal. Still expecting temps to approach, if not exceed, 50 in parts of the Magic Valley and Snake Plain Saturday and Sunday. High pressure then retreats to the south late Sunday as a deep trough looks to become established across the Pacific NW. Models are in good agreement on this pattern change. This feature will bring widespread precipitation, a cold frontal passage, and potential for stronger winds to the region. Gusty winds and precipitation will continue into Tuesday to round out the extended forecast period with a return to cooler temps and widespread snow increasingly likely, even in the lower valleys. McKaughan AVIATION...VFR conditions in place across the region this afternoon with light winds. Another surge of clouds and moisture will move through eastern Idaho this afternoon and evening but MAY stay south of all local terminals. Activity will be very "hit-or- miss" in nature so have some VCSH mentioned but unsure if any terminals will be impacted. Fog will be a concern again tonight especially at KPIH and KIDA who have been harder hit the past couple of days. Haven't gone all in with LIFR/IFR there just yet in the forecast but it's certainly possible. McKaughan && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
618 PM MST Tue Feb 20 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM Snow Soda Springs 42.66N 111.59W
02/20/2024 M2.0 inch Caribou ID Cocorahs
Cocorahs station ID-CR-1 Soda Springs.
0700 AM Snow 5 N Inkom 42.88N 112.23W
02/20/2024 M2.0 inch Bannock ID Cocorahs
Cocorahs station ID-BK-27 Inkom 5.5 N.
0700 AM Snow 4 E St. Charles 42.12N 111.31W
02/20/2024 M1.0 inch Bear Lake ID CO-OP Observer
CO-OP Observer station LFTI1 3.9 E St.
Charles.
0800 AM Snow Bern 42.34N 111.39W
02/20/2024 M1.0 inch Bear Lake ID CO-OP Observer
CO-OP Observer station BERI1 Bern.
0730 AM Snow 3 NNW Lava Hot Springs 42.66N 112.02W
02/20/2024 M1.0 inch Bannock ID Cocorahs
Cocorahs station ID-BK-26 Lava Hot Springs
2.9 NNW.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter storm, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
US 89 reported snow covered and slick with several slide offs by 8 am. 8.1 inches of snow were measured in Paris.
Snowfall created hazardous road conditions with a collision on US 91 between Franklin and Preston involving 1 semi and 1 car and one lane blocked at 9 am.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, February 2024
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: 1163551, 1163552.