Flood — Shoshone, Idaho

2011-01-16 to 2011-01-20 · near Kingston, Shoshone, Idaho

Event narrative

Flooding was reported on the Coeur D'Alene River along Coeur D'Alene River Road into Enaville and downstream to the border of Kootenai County near Cataldo. Coeur D'Alene River Road was closed between mile post 2 and 19 due to flooding of three to four feet of water over portions of the roadway. Other reports of flooding occurred at the north end of Montgomery Gulch and Moon Gulch. Moon Gulch road was washed out crossing Beaver Creek trapping an individual on his property, multiple motor vehicles and homes flooded, and landslides were also reported. The Coeur D'Alene River at Cataldo went above its flood stage of 43 feet at 2330PST on the 16th; crested at 45.94 feet at 2345PST on the 17th; and then went back below flood stage at 415PST on the 19th.

Wider weather episode

An unseasonably warm and wet period resulted in small stream and main stem river flooding. The Inland Northwest remained in the warm sector of a flat ridge with warm air advection into the region. The warm air scoured out the cold air in place, resulting in sharp rises to snow levels across the Idaho Panhandle. Record November snowfall followed by above average December snowfall set the stage for a healthy low to mid elevation snowpack for much of the central and northern Idaho Panhandle. In these areas, snow levels rose sharply during this period as a series of wet weather systems produced heavy rainfall at times at mid and low elevations. Heavy rain, combined with the melting snow pack, resulted in small streams, as well as, main stem rivers running above flood stage in these areas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (47.5534, -116.3232)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 274866. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.