A strong cold front brought very strong winds during the early morning hours of February 9th.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
A strong cold front brought very strong winds during the early morning hours of February 9th.
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 8, 10:47 PM MST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 1047 PM MST Sun Feb 8 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Valley rain and mountain snow develops across East Idaho through Monday as a frontal system works through the region, with only minor travel impacts above 6500 ft. - Gusty winds may accompany the front once again on Monday. - Slightly cooler temperatures and periods of valley rain and mountain snow continue through the week. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 142 PM MST Sun Feb 8 2026 Water vapor satellite imagery this afternoon shows a well- defined shortwave progressing toward the Oregon coast this afternoon. Light snow showers have already developed across some portions of the central mountains in leading moisture stream. Gusty south-westerly winds ahead of the system are occurring, with some observations indicating gusts over 30 mph across portions of the Arco Desert/Upper Snake River Plain, and a few higher elevations. Locally gusty winds are expected to persist overnight as the cold front associated with the Oregon shortwave approaches. A more consolidated region of valley rain and mountain snow will overspread the region tonight along and ahead of the frontal boundary associated with the Oregon system. Temperatures fall through the day Monday behind the front, and winds will remain gusty with speeds and gusts expected to be similar or slightly stronger than today, but still less than Wind Advisory levels. Snow accumulations associated with this system will remain above 6500 ft. Most areas above that level will see 1-3". A few ranges such as the Sawtooths, the White Clouds, the Lost River Range, and the Big Holes could see localized totals above pass level at 6-9". Winter driving conditions are expected overnight and Monday at pass level, but impacts should remain minor and no headlines are expected at this time. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 142 PM MST Sun Feb 8 2026 Unsettled conditions continue through the week as the pattern appears fully transitioned from amplified blocking ridge to progression of shortwaves. Although cooler than recent days, lower elevation temperatures throughout the week remain warm enough during the day for precipitation to be rain or a rain/snow mix depending on timing. None of these features look particularly robust, so we also aren't looking at making a significant dent in this winter's snow deficit. That said, any addition to the current snow pack won't hurt. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1034 PM MST Sun Feb 8 2026 Current satellite imagery shows widespread cloud cover over the Central mountains with mostly overcast clouds over the rest of southeast Idaho with only broken cloud cover over our southeast areas by the Utah and Wyoming state lines. The stream of moisture associated with the incoming storm is still in the Central mountains with light to moderate moisture as well as in the Island Park area. This stream of moisture will continue to slowly shift east throughout the evening, impacting KSUN first and then eventually getting into the DIJ. We should see these CIGS lower to MVFR, maybe briefly IFR, along with some rain or rain/snow mix for SUN and DIJ. Models show little moisture in the Eastern Magic valley and the Snake River plain. For the other terminals through the Snake Plain, CIGS will descend coincident with light precipitation onset in the pre- dawn hours Monday. Outside of any MVFR CIGS, we're looking at breezy surface winds early this evening before becoming windy early Monday morning, especially after the passage of the front. Both afternoons we're looking at wind gusts above 30 to 35 kts, mainly through the Snake Plain. Winds will gradually start to back off by late Monday afternoon/early Monday evening. && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...DMH LONG TERM...DMH AVIATION...TW
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Widespread wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph occurred in the early morning hours. A peak of 66 mph measured at Big Southern Butte with 59 mph at INL Puzzle at US highway 20/26 intersection.
Fifty to 60 mph wind gusts common the morning of the 9th with the highest 57 mph near Ririe.
Fifty mph wind gusts were widespread with a peak gust of 58 mph at Mount Baird.
Fifty to 60 mph wind gusts common on the 9th. Highest gust of 57 mph at Willow Creek Summit.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, February 2026
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: 1318083, 1318086, 1318087, 1318090.