Winter Storm 7 January 2022

Overview

On January 7th 2022, a strong cold front was approaching from the west. Radar shows a band of moderate to heavy snow passing through the Island Park region during the afternoon. Meanwhile, strong 700 mb winds in excess of 60 mph were forecast ahead of the front. These winds were able to reach the surface. Combined with a snowpack in excess of 2 feet across the region and recent snow earlier that afternoon, whiteout conditions were observed in the Henrys Lake area. Winter weather advisories were in effect that afternoon alerting motorists to the hazardous conditions.

Around 3pm, a semi-truck collided with a car that had stopped due to low visibility in the eastbound lane of U.S. Highway 20. Multiple crashes followed resulting in a 39 vehicle pileup. Fortunately no one was killed in the collisions but 14 people were transported to area hospitals. U.S. Highway 20 and state highway 87 were closed along with parts of state highway 32.

Henrys Lake Flats

Photos & Video
Radar
Storm Reports
Environment

Photo & Video

Radar

Radar simulated showing precipitation type on January 7th. This is using the 3km NAM.

Storm Reports

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
240 PM MST FRI JAN 7 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0509 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 17 WSW MARION           42.17N 114.20W
01/07/2022  M49 MPH          CASSIA             ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION CRII1 - COTTON RIDGE. 

0750 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 14 WSW MACKAY           43.81N 113.85W
01/07/2022  M48 MPH          CUSTER             ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION CBFI1 - COPPER BASIN. 

0819 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 6 SW VICTOR             43.54N 111.20W
01/07/2022  M46 MPH          BONNEVILLE         ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION PCRI1 - PINE CREEK. 

1015 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 WSW CRATERS OF MOON   43.40N 113.63W
01/07/2022  M51 MPH          BUTTE              ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD77 - TOM CAT SUMMIT. 

1030 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NNW CRATERS OF MOON   43.43N 113.54W
01/07/2022  M46 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION CRA. 

1030 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 E FORT HALL           43.02N 112.41W
01/07/2022  M45 MPH          BANNOCK            ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION FOR. 

1045 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 NNW IDAHOME           42.52N 113.42W
01/07/2022  M50 MPH          CASSIA             ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD12 - I-84 YALE 
            INTERCHANGE. 

1050 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 S HOWE                43.68N 113.01W
01/07/2022  M59 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION BAS - BASE OF HOWE PEAK. 

1055 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 S HOWE                43.68N 113.01W
01/07/2022  M63 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION BAS - BASE OF HOWE PEAK. 

1055 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ENE HOWE              43.78N 112.98W
01/07/2022  M53 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION HOW. 

1105 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 11 WSW MONTEVIEW        43.86N 112.73W
01/07/2022  M47 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION LOF - INL SPECIFIC 
            MANUFACTURING. 

1125 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 9 NW ATOMIC CITY        43.53N 112.95W
01/07/2022  M49 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION 690 - INL CENTRAL 
            FACILITIES. 

1130 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 6 NW ATOMIC CITY        43.51N 112.89W
01/07/2022  M51 MPH          BUTTE              ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD95 - INL PUZZLE 
            US-20/US-26. 

1140 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 10 SSE HOWE             43.65N 112.91W
01/07/2022  M52 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION NRF - INL NAVAL REACTORS 
            FACILITY. 

1145 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 9 SSW MUD LAKE          43.72N 112.53W
01/07/2022  M57 MPH          JEFFERSON          ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION ROV. 

1230 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NE TERRETON           43.84N 112.42W
01/07/2022  M50 MPH          JEFFERSON          ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION TER. 

1235 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 N UCON                43.64N 111.96W
01/07/2022  M51 MPH          JEFFERSON          ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION DW9069. 

0115 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 14 ENE ATOMIC CITY      43.55N 112.58W
01/07/2022  M58 MPH          BINGHAM            ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD-93 - US-20 TELEGRAPH 
            HILL. 

0115 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 ESE CLEMENTSVILLE     43.86N 111.28W
01/07/2022  M50 MPH          TETON              ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITDA1 - ID-33 RIVER RIM. 

0135 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 12 SE BUTTE CITY        43.50N 113.05W
01/07/2022  M49 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION RWM - INL RADIOACTIVE WASTE 
            MGMT. 

0145 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 9 SSW MUD LAKE          43.72N 112.53W
01/07/2022  M62 MPH          JEFFERSON          ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION ROV. 

0145 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WSW POPLAR            43.61N 111.70W
01/07/2022  M58 MPH          BONNEVILLE         ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD18 - US-26. 

0145 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 16 W OSGOOD             43.55N 112.41W
01/07/2022  M51 MPH          BONNEVILLE         ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD99 - US-20 KETTLE BUTTE. 

0146 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NW REXBURG            43.83N 111.80W
01/07/2022  M47 MPH          MADISON            ID   ASOS             
            ASOS STATION KRXE - REXBURG-MADISON AIRPORT. 

0200 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SW POPLAR             43.61N 111.70W
01/07/2022  M62 MPH          BONNEVILLE         ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD18 - US-26. 

0200 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NNE CLEMENTSVILLE     43.88N 111.36W
01/07/2022  M57 MPH          TETON              ID   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 
            ITD RWIS STATION ITD56 - ID-33 BOTTS. 

0200 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WSW POPLAR            43.61N 111.70W
01/07/2022  M52 MPH          BONNEVILLE         ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION RRII. 

0200 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 8 NNW ATOMIC CITY       43.55N 112.87W
01/07/2022  M50 MPH          BUTTE              ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION PBF. 

0210 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 11 W OSGOOD             43.55N 112.33W
01/07/2022  M48 MPH          BONNEVILLE         ID   MESONET          
            MESONET STATION KET - KETTLE BUTTE. 

&&
$$

Environment


Figure 1: GFS 300 mb winds & heights - upper trough moving onshore with strong southwesterly winds ahead of the trough in excess of 110 kts.	Figure 2: GFS - 700 mb winds - speeds in the 50s and 60s; providing the potential for strong gusts at the surface.	Figure 3: Cold front entering the region acting as the mechanism to bring the 700 mb winds to the surface.

Figure 4: Modeled snow depth on the morning of January 7th, 2022. Roughly around 30 inches of snow already on the ground.	Figure 5: NBM forecast of an additional snowfall of 2 to 5 inches.	Figure 6: HREF probability of less than 1 mi visibility supporting evidence for potential whiteout conditions from falling snow and blowing snow.

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Active Weather Pattern for the West into the Plains

Winter Storm 7 January 2022