Arco-mud Lake Desert storm history

A two vehicle collision resulted in the death of one of the passengers. Idaho State Police investigaed a vehicle fatality collision which occurred on Monday, December 4, 2023, at 7:05 A.M. on State Highway 33 at mile marker 57 east of Terreton. A 2008 Chevrolet Silverado was trav…

Icy roads may have been a factor in a fatal auto accident on State Highway 33 at milepost 49 east of Terreton. A 25 year old man was killed when it slid into the opposing lane into a semi pulling two flatbed trailers.

A 61 mph wind gust was measured at Tom Cat Summit. A 59 mph gust was measured at East Butte. A 57 mph wind gust was measured at Big Southern Butte.

Wind gusts of 55 to 75 mph were widespread in the Arco-Mud Lake Desert region. The peak gust was 73 mph at the East Butte mesonet station. Tom Cat Summit had a 66 mph peak gust as well.

Widespread 70 to 80 mph wind gusts occurred in the region with a peak of 80 mph at the INL Puzzle site at the US Highway 20/26 intersection. Both 79 and 76 mph wind gusts measured at Tom Cat Summit. A 75 mph gust was recorded at East Butte.

A peak gust of 58 mph occurred west of Craters of the Moon. Extensive reports of 45 mph or greater gusts occurred.

Fifty to 75 mph wind gusts were widespread on the 25th behind a cold frontal passage. A peak of 74 mph was measured at mesonet station East Butte.

Widespread wind gusts 50 to 75 mph occurred during the afternoon of the 19th behind a cold frontal passage. The peak gust of 74 mph was measured at mesonet station East Butte.

A strong cold front brought extremely high wind gusts and blowing dust to the Arco and Mud Lake Desert region. A peak of 65 mph was measured at Camas with 63 miles per hour at Terreton. Several locations measured 55 to 61 mph gusts through the afternoon of the 12th.

Idaho 33 closed 6 miles east of Terreton due to a jackknifed semi trailer at 130 pm. Butte County schools for the day due to extreme winds and difficult road conditions. Another jackknifed semi trailer reported at 225 pm on interstate 15 near the Clark/Jefferson County line. All …

Eleven inches of snow fell in Ketchum. SNOTEL amounts estimated were 14 inches Galena, 18 inches Galena Summit, and one foot Dollarhide Summit, and Lost Wood Divide.

Several 50 plus mph wind gusts occurred on the 5th. The peak was 67 mph near Terreton. 66 mph gust at Rover and 64 mph gust near Mud Lake.

The Craters of the Moon COOP site recorded 16 inches of snow.

Widespread below -20 wind chill temperatures occurred in the Arco-Mud Lake Desert region. The coldest was -30 degrees 12 miles northwest of Atomic City at the Lost River Rest Area.

Extreme cold wind chills affected the Arco and Mud Lake Desert region on the 20th. The coldest readings were -36 at INL Radioactive Waste Managment site, -35 at Big Southern Butte, and -34 at Atomic City.

Widespread wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph occurred after a cold frontal passage. A wind gust of 63 mph was measured at the Tom Cat Summit ITD site.

Several hours of 60 to 75 mph gusts occurred in the Arco Desert with a peak of 74 mph at Craters of the Moon.

Widespread 60 to 75 mph wind gusts occurred during the afternoon of the 15th with a peak gust of 74 mph at Tom Cat Summit. Over 70 mph gusts also measured at Craters of the Moon and many Idaho National Laboratory sites.

Several wind gusts of 50 to 63 mph were measured the afternoon of the 3rd as a frontal system moved through Idaho. Tom Cat Summit and Craters of the Moon measured 63 mph gusts.

Two 65 mph wind gusts were measured at Tom Cat Summit ITD mesonet and The INL Puzzle ITD site. A 60 mph gust was measured at the Rover mesonet site.

A strong cold front brought very strong winds to the Arco and Mud Lake desert regions. Wind gusts ranged from 50 to 70 mph between 10 am MDT to 10 pm MDT with dozens of reports by mesonet sites of the 50 plus mph gusts. The peak of 70 mph came at the Camas ITD mesonet site.

A 61 mph gust measured 10 miles west of Monteview. A 54 mph gust measured 10 miles south of Mud Lake. A 55 mph gust measured 8 miles northwest of Atomic City.

A peak wind gust of 59 mph occurred at Craters of the Moon. Several mesonet sites reported over 50 mph wind gusts during the afternoon and early evening.

Widespread 50 to 60 mph gusts caused some blowing dust and the Camas site on interstate 15 dropped visibility to a half mile at 5 pm MDT.

Snowfall totals were 9 inches on Bald Mountain and 13 inches in Ketchum.

Fifty to 65 mph wind gusts were widespread in the Arco and Mud Lake Desert regions.

Wind gusts for several hours in the 50 to 60 mph range with snow amounts of 1 to 3 inches caused dangerous road conditions and the West Jefferson School District 253 closed schools for the day due to blowing and drifting snow.

About 1 to 2 inches of snow fell causing hazardous roads and black ice. Jefferson County School District 251 delayed opening by 2 hours due to the hazardous roads.

Extensive wind gusts in the 50 to 60 mph range occurred in the Arco and Mud Lake Desert. Big Southern Butte measured 67 mph for the peak gust in the region.

Widespread 40 to 50 mph gusts measures with 70 mph at Atomic City.

Strong wind gusts in the 35 mph to 60 mph range caused extensive blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibilities. US Highway 20/26/93 to close from Arco to Carey by 6 pm on the 1st.

A Pacific storm system brought 50 to 60 mph wind gusts early in the morning of the 15th with 58 mph 9 miles south southwest of Mud Lake and 57 mph at Sand Dunes. 57 mph was measured at Atomic City.

Strong winds and snowfall caused blowing snow and US Highway 26 to close from Arco to Carey. Widespread wind gusts in the 60 to 70 mph range were recorded. 40 miles west of Idaho Falls recorded 6 inches of snow via the COOP observer.

The Craters of the Moon COOP observer measured 8.2 inches of snow with the latest storm system.

The Craters of the Moon COOP observer measured 11 inches of snow.

Snow combined with wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph to close US Highway 26 from Carey to Arco and USD Highway 20 from Idaho Falls to the US 26 junction. West Jefferson School District 253 closed on the 27th due to road conditions. No official snow amounts were received but were likely …

Snow and wind gusts in the 40 to 60 mph range caused blowing and drifting snow which closed US Highway 26 on the 21st from Carey to Arco. State Highway 22 was closed from Dubois to Howe. West Jefferson School District 253 was closed on the 22nd.

Snow and wind gusts exceeding 40 mph closed interstate 15 from Idaho Falls to the Montana border and Highway 22 between Dubois and Howe. Highway 20 closed from Idaho Falls to INL due to an INL snow plow overturning. Jefferson School District 251 was closed on the 14th due to road…

Minus 25 to -40 temperatures were common with the following school closures on the 30th: Jefferson School District 251, and Butte County School District 111. Wind chill readings of below -50 were recorded.

Heavy snow combined with winds caused poor road conditions which closed butte County School District 111 on the 12th. The Craters of the Moon COOP site recorded 14 inches of snow during the storm.

One to 3 inches of snow combined with 40 to 50 mph wind gusts caused extensive blowing and drifting snow which closed interstate 15 on the afternoon of the 1st into the 2nd from Hamer to the Montana border.

COOP observers after an extended period of snow measured 11.7 inches at Craters of the Moon National Monument and 6 inches at Hamer.

Extensive wind gusts over 60 mph occurred during the morning of the 5th mostly between 5 AM and noon. The peak of 72 mph occurred at the Rover mesonet southwest of Mud Lake.

Sixty to 65 mph wind gusts were measured at the intersection of US Highways 20 and 26 as well as Big Southern Butte. These occurred between 12 Midnight and 2 AM MDT on the 2nd.

The Sand Dunes mesonet site recorded a 64 mph gust at 605 PM MDT on the 21st. 59 mph gusts measured at Rover and Craters of the Moon mesonet sites. Very strong winds continue through the morning of the 22nd with several more gusts in the 50 to 60 mph range.

A strong cold front brought the following winds to the Arco Mud Lake Desert: 5 miles WSW Craters of the Moon 59 mph, 1 mile NNW Craters of the Moon 57 mph, Sand Dunes 57 mph, 6 miles NW Atomic City 57 mph, INL Materials Fuels Complex 56 mph, 9 miles SSW Mud Lake 54 mph, 14 miles …

Widespread 50 to 60 mph wind gusts occurred with 55 mph measured at Atomic City and 57 mph southwest of Mud Lake.

A strong cold front brought extremely strong winds to the Arco and Mud Lake Desert region. Big Southern Butte recorded 73 mph with 67 mph at Craters of the Moon and 60 mph at Cox's Well with Idaho National Laboratory sites recording 50 to 60 mph gusts as well.

A 61 mph wind gust was measured at the Puzzle Idaho Transportation site. Other gusts were 56 mph at Telegraph Hill and 55 mph at Atomic City.

The COOP observer at Craters of the Moon recorded 10.4 inches of snow with the extended period of winter weather.