Flood — Shoshone, Idaho

2011-01-17 · near Stetson, Shoshone, Idaho

Event narrative

Flooding was reported along the St. Joe River from Avery to Calder. Avery Creek rose above its banks and flooded parts of the old Forest Service building and nearby residences in the town of Avery. The old highway from Marble Creek to Avery was washed out as well. Mudslides and high water wiped out sections of Calder Road and Trout Creek Road near Calder. More flooding was reported along the St. Joe River downstream of Calder into Benewah County. On the 17th, the St. Joe River at Calder went above its flood stage of 13 feet at 1045PST; crested at 13.18 feet at 1445PST; and then went back below flood stage at 2000PST.

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 → (47.2704, -115.7671)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 275105. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.