A strong upper level jet was positioned over the Pacific Northwest from March 8 through 13. As it mixed down to the lower levels, it brought periods of high winds sustained in the 30 to 40 mph range and gusts up to 70 mph for portions of the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 OTX wrote it up.
A strong upper level jet was positioned over the Pacific Northwest from March 8 through 13. As it mixed down to the lower levels, it brought periods of high winds sustained in the 30 to 40 mph range and gusts up to 70 mph for portions of the region. It was followed by a cold front that brought snow amounts ranging from 2 to 9 inches.
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 Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 11, 4:23 PM PST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
523 PM PDT Wed Mar 11 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- High winds overnight into Thursday morning with potential for
tree damage and power outages. High profile vehicles need to
take caution.
- Moderate to heavy mountain snow this week over the Cascades
and North Idaho mountain passes.
&&
.SYNOPSIS...
Persistent moderate to heavy snow will bring winter travel
conditions over the mountains through Friday night. There is
potential for light lowland snow accumulations in the mountain
valleys as well Wednesday morning and Friday morning. High winds
are expected Wednesday evening and Wednesday night.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS INTO FRIDAY. HIGH
WINDS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...
Tonight into Thursday: A wet warm front is currently draped
across the region bringing lowland rain and mountain snow.
Colder air entrenched along the Cascades are keeping the mid
slope locations including Leavenworth and Plain as snow. An
atmospheric river is still pumping the region with moisture with
precipitable water amounts ranging from 200-250% of normal for
the Cascades and 150-200% for the rest for the region. It is
causing very high amounts of snow for Stevens Pass and moderate
amounts to the Idaho Panhandle. A strong cold front will be
sweeping across the Inland Northwest and bringing high winds
along the with it.
Snow: Ensembles continue to show 2-3 feet of snow for the
ridges of the Cascades including Stevens Pass. The midslopes can
expect 4-8 inches. The Idaho Panhandle can expect 8-14 inches
with the higher amounts through Central and Lower Panhandle
mountains.
Wind: A strong cold front will sweep through the region
overnight bringing high winds across the region. 850Mb winds
will be in the 55-65 mph range. Ensembles have pulled back on
the winds slightly. Current trends have the ridges receiving
55-70 mph gusts. The Basin is expected to get 50-60 mph gusts
from 11PM-06AM. Impacts include downed trees and power lines,
damages to roofs, and blowing dust across the Central Basin.
Thursday through Friday: Moderate to heavy mountain snow
continues through Friday night as the atmospheric river plume
wavers north and south. Stevens Pass and Lookout Pass can expect
another 1 to 3 feet of snow through Friday night. Additional
periods of light valley snow are expected Thursday night into
Friday morning in extreme eastern Washington and north ID. The
extended period of precip of 0.5-1 inches over Southeast
Washington and Lower Idaho Panhandle is leading to potential for
river rises and flooding for the area through the weekend. Winds
will decrease behind the exiting cold front through Thursday.
Saturday through Wednesday: The pattern begins to shift over
the weekend. The mountain snow will taper off through the
weekend as drier air starts to filter into the region. Winds
will remain breezy with gusts into upper 20s and low 30s during
the afternoon hours. Another quick moving system will bring a
punch of mountain snow to the region late Sunday into Monday. A
ridge will move into the region by midweek. /JDC
&&
.AVIATION...
00Z TAFS: Precipitation will taper at KGEG/KSFF/KCOE in the
near term with conditions gradually improving to VFR.
Precipitaiton will linger longer at KPUW with moist flow
directed into southeast Washington and north Idaho. Cold front
passage arrives overnight between 06Z-12Z, which may result in a
brief period of light rain at KGEG-KSFF-KCOE. The northern edge
of the moisture plume will waiver across southeastern Washington
tomorrow, with intermittent periods of precipitation at KPUW
and KLWS.
West- southwest winds will increase through the evening hours
as a low pressure moves eastward across southwestern Canada.
The strongest winds will occur overnight with the passage of a
cold front between 06-12Z with high confidence for gusts between
40-50 knots at KGEG-KSFF-KCOE-KPUW. 850mb winds are expected to
increase to southwest 60-70 knots across the Columbia Basin
into the Spokane/CdA area this evening, which may result in
periods of LLWS through 08Z.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence
for widespread improvements to VFR, with the exception at KPUW
where confidence is moderate. High confidence for winds to
begin ramping up this evening with the strongest winds
occurring overnight.
-----------------------
Confidence descriptors:
Low - Less than a 30 percent chance
Moderate - 30 to 70 percent chance
High - Greater than a 70 percent chance
For additional probabilistic information for NWS Spokane
airports,please refer to the Aviation Dashboard on our
webpage: https:/www.weather.gov/otx/avndashboard
&&
.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Spokane 38 44 31 44 32 43 / 80 30 60 70 80 40
Coeur d'Alene 35 43 31 42 31 42 / 90 50 80 80 80 70
Pullman 35 43 33 42 34 40 / 90 80 90 100 100 80
Lewiston 43 49 37 48 39 48 / 90 90 100 90 100 80
Colville 34 46 28 45 27 44 / 90 30 40 50 50 40
Sandpoint 34 41 29 40 30 41 / 100 70 80 80 80 80
Kellogg 34 39 32 40 34 37 / 100 90 90 100 90 90
Moses Lake 39 50 32 51 33 49 / 40 20 30 50 50 10
Wenatchee 38 43 32 47 31 44 / 90 50 40 60 50 10
Omak 34 47 29 47 28 47 / 80 30 30 30 30 10
&&
.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...High Wind Warning until 11 AM PDT Thursday for Central Chelan
County-Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Moses Lake Area-
Northeast Blue Mountains-Northeast Mountains-Okanogan
Highlands-Okanogan Valley-Spokane Area-Upper Columbia
Basin-Washington Palouse-Waterville Plateau-Wenatchee
Area.
Wind Advisory until 11 AM PDT Thursday for Western Okanogan
County.
Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM PDT this evening for
Central Chelan County.
Winter Storm Warning until 6 PM PDT this evening for Western
Chelan County.
Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM Thursday to 5 AM PDT Saturday
for Western Chelan County.
Blizzard Warning until 5 AM PDT Thursday for Western Chelan
County.
ID...High Wind Warning until 11 AM PDT Thursday for Central
Panhandle Mountains-Coeur d'Alene Area-Idaho Palouse-
Northern Panhandle.
Winter Storm Warning until 11 AM PDT Saturday for Central
Panhandle Mountains.
Wind Advisory until 11 AM PDT Thursday for Lewis and Southern
Nez Perce Counties-Lewiston Area.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Spokane WA
607 PM PDT Wed Mar 11 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0605 PM Snow Leavenworth 47.60N 120.66W
03/11/2026 M3.0 Inch Chelan WA Trained Spotter
&&
dbThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow, 2 high wind, 1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
Several hours of gusty winds up to 50 kts (59 mph) impacted North Idaho. The only damage reported was a shifted shed in Naples.
Several hours of gusty southwest winds up to 56 kts (64 mph) impacted the Coeur d'Alene area. A gas station sign was damaged. There were a couple of reports of downed trees and power lines with one sparking a fire in a backyard.
Observer reported 9 inches of snow 6 miles south of Huetter. Other reports were 8.5 inches near Hayden Lake and 7 inches near Post Falls.
Observer measured 6 inches of snow. Other reports in North Idaho ranged from 2 inches near Spirit Lake, 3 inches near Sandpoint, and 3.9 inches near Athol.
Observer reported 6.3 inches of snow in Avery. Other reports for the area were 4.3 inches near Pinehurst and 5.2 inches near Saint Maries.
Media reported an avalanche at Silver Mountain Ski resort on the Moonshine run. Two people were briefly trapped but were rescued with no injuries.
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, March 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: 1328463, 1328462, 1328467, 1328464, 1328465, 1328466.