Winter Weather — Southern Clearwater Mountains, Idaho

2025-12-18 to 2025-12-19 · Southern Clearwater Mountains, Idaho

Event narrative

The Idaho side of the Bitterroot crest absorbed heavy moisture from the atmospheric river, leading to high-impact winter conditions right along the Lolo Pass border. Further down the Highway 12 corridor at Powell, intense snowfall rates dropped 5 inches of snow in just a 6-hour period during the afternoon and evening of December 18. In Dixie, 6.5 inches of snow fell.

Wider weather episode

An atmospheric river brought heavy snow and strong winds to the Clearwater and Bitterroot Mountains.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1307754. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.