Flood in Benewah County, Idaho

Significant flooding reported along the St. Joe River Road from St. Maries to Avery in Shoshone County as the St. Joe River spilled over its banks. The road to St. Joe City was completely under water and flooding reported five miles up St. Maries River Road at Kittle Loop. The St. Joe River at St. Maries went above its flood stage of 32.5 feet at 1023PST on the 17th; crested at 35.97 feet at 905PST on the 18th; and then went back below flood stage at 500PST on the 20th.

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.