Heavy snow and strong winds brought impacts and lift closures to areas near Bogus Basin and Tamarack ski resorts. Transportation impacts were broadly felt as well, especially near Banner Summit and Idaho City on Highway 21.
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 BOI wrote it up.
Heavy snow and strong winds brought impacts and lift closures to areas near Bogus Basin and Tamarack ski resorts. Transportation impacts were broadly felt as well, especially near Banner Summit and Idaho City on Highway 21.
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 Boise, ID wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 12, 9:06 PM MST, 2 hours 54 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boise ID
906 PM MST Wed Feb 12 2025
.DISCUSSION...A major low pressure system currently moving
inland off Western Oregon will continue to steer a strong
frontal passage over Southeast Oregon and Southwest Idaho
tonight and throughout Thursday. This system is expected to
bring advisory/warning level snowfall across the area. Peak
snowfall is still expected through the early AM hours for
Eastern Oregon and throughout the later morning and early
afternoon hours for Southwest Idaho. Confidence for higher wind
gusts has increased for the Snake Plain throughout Thursday, and
blowing snow remains a high likelihood across the Southern
valley region of Western Idaho. Thursday night will see moderate
snowfall across the mountains, with incoming wintry mix more
likely for the lower valleys through Friday morning and after.
&&
.AVIATION...VFR tonight with increasing high clouds. Widespread
MVFR/IFR in snow spreading into SE Oregon Thursday morning,
then across SW Idaho late morning through afternoon. Some areas
will also have gusty winds that will further reduce visibilities
in blowing snow. Mountains obscured. Surface winds: variable 10
kt or less becoming E-SE 10-20 kt late tonight. Areas of LLWS
developing around 12Z Thursday, especially KBOI, KEUL, KONO
areas. Winds aloft at 10kft MSL: NW-N 10-20 kt, becoming SW
15-25 kt overnight.
KBOI...VFR through tonight with increasing high clouds. Low
chance (30%) of light snow in the terminal area by 15Z-18Z
Thursday, followed by IFR conditions in snow during the
afternoon. Surface winds SE 5-10 kt tonight, increasing and
becoming gusty Thursday.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION...
SHORT TERM...Tonight through Friday night...A complex weather
system remains on tap for Thursday and Thursday Night. Very cold
temperatures are expected again overnight, before a significant
weather system moves in Thursday through Friday. Observations
and guidance suggest that the system will be impactful with
advisory/warning level snowfall and the potential for blowing
snow for the Snake Plain. Satellite imagery shows a
strengthening low off the coast with moisture being drawn in
ahead of the system just off the Pacific Coast. Guidance brings
the system, and its associated warm front, ashore overnight with
overrunning precipitation beginning across eastern Oregon by
6am and into southwest Idaho by 9am. The heaviest snowfall is
expected between 8am and Noon for eastern Oregon and 10am to 2pm
for southwest Idaho, before the frontal system moves to the
north and the east. Behind the frontal system showery weather
will accompany the trough with additional snowfall expected
overnight Thursday into early Friday. Precipitation should fall
as snow throughout the early portions of the event, with the
Upper Treasure and Magic Valleys seeing rain mixing in by Friday
morning.
Confidence is high regarding snowfall amounts with an 80-100%
chance of 1.5 inches or more for all valley areas, and a 60-80%
chance of more than 4 inches for northern Harney/Malheur
counties, the Lower Treasure Valley, and the Weiser Basin.
Mountain areas will see between 6-12 inches of accumulation.
Wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph will be possible along the Snake
River in SW Idaho and in the Camas Prairie and Magic Valley of
Idaho. This will lead to periods of blowing snow and reduced
visibility.
LONG TERM...Saturday through Wednesday...Throughout the day
Saturday, an upper-level ridge will be making its way through the
area. This will only provide some temporary relief from
precipitation, as precip chances return late Saturday night into
Sunday as the next system begins to come in. Rounds of shortwave
troughs, being ejected by a longwave trough, pass aloft giving
us precipitation chances Sunday-Tuesday morning. For the upper
Treasure Valley, the greatest snowfall amounts exist early
morning Sunday, with probability of amounts greater than 1"
ranging from 40- 60% throughout the valley. Greater than 3"
snowfall during early morning Sunday range from 15-30%. For the
lower Treasure Valley, greatest snowfall amounts also exist
early morning Sunday, with probability of amounts greater than
1" ranging from 60-80% likelihood. Greater than 3" snowfall
during early morning Sunday range from 40-70%. As we progress
through Sunday afternoon into Monday, snow levels rising to 3500
ft AGL will cause areas below that elevation to experience
rain. Some flurries are possible in the lower Treasure Valley
during this time. Snow levels will remain high enough for rain
below around 3500-4000 ft and snow above Monday, but lowers to
valley floors Monday night as the main trough passes through.
The chance for snow continues in the mountains Tue (15-40%) but
is too low to mention for most lower elevations areas.
Models are showing another longwave trough feature moving into the
area sometime during the day Wednesday, however we are bordering on
predictability of moisture, snow levels, etc. Confidence is high
enough to introduce PoPs during this time. Temps will remain below
normal through the long term period, but should be significantly
warmer than what the area has experienced the past few days.
&&
.BOI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...Cold Weather Advisory until 10 AM MST Thursday
IDZ011>016-029-030-033.
Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM Thursday to 11 AM MST Friday
IDZ011-013-015.
Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM Thursday to 11 AM MST Friday
IDZ012-014-016-028-029-033.
Extreme Cold Warning until 10 AM MST Thursday IDZ028.
OR...Cold Weather Advisory until 10 AM MST /9 AM PST/ Thursday
ORZ061>064.
Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM MST /4 AM PST/ Thursday to 11
AM MST /10 AM PST/ Friday ORZ061>064.
&&
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DISCUSSION...JY
AVIATION.....BW
SHORT TERM...MC
LONG TERM....CHThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
All Bogus Basin lifts closed except for Coach and Deer Point lift due to wind.
Members of the public reported 2 to 4 inches of snow near Meridian, Middleton, and Payette.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, February 2025
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: 1239830, 1239834.