Upper Snake Highlands storm history

A snowmobiler was killed by an avalanche near Island Park east of Reyes Peak just below the waterfall.

A snowmobiler died due to an avalanche on January 10th near Island Park.

Four to 8 inches of snow combined with high winds with gusts over 30 mph caused extemely difficult travel conditions with one fatality in an accident on US Highway 20 near milepost 367 on Ashton Hill at 8 am on the 23rd. This caused the road to be closed for several hours.

A fatal accident occurred on Highway 20 14 miles north of Ashton due to snow and ice on the roadway. A man driving westbound near milepost 375 slid into oncoming traffic.

Wind gusts of 50 to 73 mph occurred behind the passage of a strong cold front. Some power lines were downed in Chester with 353 customers without power. Power line damage caused 679 customers in Teton to lose power. US Highway 20 was closed 3 miles east of Island Park with severa…

Extremely heavy snow and strong winds occurred in the Upper Snake Highlands for several days. Interstate 15 closed from Dubois to the Montana border on the 2nd. Idaho 32 closed from Ashton to Tetonia and Idaho 47 closed from mile marker 0 to 28. Heavy snow amounts reported by spo…

Very heavy snow combined with strong winds to close the following roads on the 25th: Highway 32 from Ashton to Tetonia, Highway 87 from Raynolds Pass to the Junction of Highway 20 near Henry's Lake, Highway 20 from Ashton to the Montana border, and interstate 15 from Dubois to th…

A strong Pacific storm system dropped the following snow amounts on SNOTEL sites: Black Bear 30 inches, Phillips Bench 15 inches, and White Elephant 15 inches. the following roads were closed by the 17th: Highway 47, US 20 from Ashton to the Montana border, Highway 32 from Ashton…

Twelve inches of snow fell at the Island Park SNOTEL and 13 inches fell at the White Elephant SNOTEL. Highway 33 was closed to Wyoming Highway 22 from Victor to Wilson.

Heavy wet snow caused power outages to 650 Fall River Electric customers on the morning of January 10th in Macks Inn, the Yale/Kilgore Road area, and areas north of Island Park Reservoir and south of Henry's Lake. The outage was from about 9 am through 1245 pm.

Multiple semi truck slide offs were reported in the Island Park area by 6 pm on the 20th. The White Elephant SNOTEL reported 16 inches of snow.

SNOTEL snow amounts were the following: Crab Creek 13 inches, Phillips Bench 19 inches, White Elephant 21 inches.

A band of heavy snow dropped 2 to 4 inches of snow in St Anthony and caused two cars to rollover on US route 20 near the intersection of 400 North south of St Anthony.

The Black Bear SNOTEL recorded 17 inches of snow with 10 inches at White Elephant.

Four to 7 inches of snow fell in Victor.

Strong winds downed a tree and powerline in Ashton and a powerline in Chester. The Idaho transportation department closed Idaho route 32 from Ashton to Tetonia. An accident occurred on the road due to blowing dust prior to the closure.

A mid spring winter storm dumped 3 to 7 inches on the Upper snake River Highlands. On the morning of the 18th there were many power outages in the Driggs/Alta area with snow loading on power lines due to the wetness of the snow with tree branches on lines as well.

About 4 to 6 inches of snowfall combined with high winds caused Idaho Highway 32 to be closed from Ashton to Tetonia on the 6th and Idaho Highway 31 to be closed from Swan Valley to Victor.

A quick moving storm brought snow and high winds to the Upper Snake Highlands on the last day of the month. 1 to 3 inches of snow fell with 30 to 40 mph wind gusts causing white out conditions. Idaho Highway 32 shut down on the afternoon of the 28th east of Ashton to the Wyoming …

The Crab Creek SNOTEL received 15 inches of snow with 26 inches reported at White Elephant. Interstate 15 was closed for several hours on the 20th from Dubois to the Montana border.

The Crab Creek SNOTEL received 19 inches of snow and the Island Park COOP site received 7 inches.

At the White Elephant SNOTEL site 12 inches of snow fell. 6 inches fell Island Park.

US Highway 20 and Idaho 87 closed between Island Park and the Montana border and Highway 87 was also closed between the US Highway 20 junction and the Montana border at 11 am on the 6th. High winds with gusts of 40 to 50 mph caused extensive drifting and blowing snow.

The Island Park COOP site reported 11 inches of snow. AMounts at SNOTEL sites were: 17 inches at Black Bear, 10 inches at Phillips Bench, and 12 inches at White Elephant.

Although snowfall was not heavy in the Upper Snake Highlands, the combination of snow and wind closed Highway 28 through all of Clark County in western Clark County on the 23rd and 24th. Highway 22 was also closed west of Dubois. Snow amounts were 4 inches in Dubois, 6 inches in …

A winter storm brought heavy snow, wind and difficult travel to the Upper Snake Highlands. Low elevation snow amounts were 7 inches in Driggs, Dubois and St Anthony. Amounts from SNOTEL sites were the following: 19 inches at Crab Creek, 41 inches at Island Park, and 45 inches at …

Wind chill readings of -25 to -35 degrees were common with most schools closed on the 5th.

SNOTEL snow amounts were the following: 21 inches at Black Bear, 9 inches at Island Park, 13 inches at Phillips Bench, and 19 inches at White Elephant.

Many spotters and COOP observers reported very heavy snow. Ashton had 11 inches, Dubois 14 inches, St Anthony 15 inches, and Small 16 inches. The following SNOTEL amounts were recorded: Black Bear 14 inches, Crab Creek 23 inches, Island Park 14 inches, and White Elephant 34 inche…

Heavy mountain snow began on the 14th and blizzard conditions were present on the 16th. SNOTEL snow amounts were 12 inches at Island Park and 16 inches at White Elephant. On the 16th school closed early at 11 am in Fremont County District 215 due to blizzard conditions. Crashes w…

SNOTEL snow amounts were: 10 inches at Crab Creek, 14 inches at Island Park, and 15 inches at White Elephant.

A total of 18 inches was reported in Macks Inn. SNOTEL amounts were 12.5 inches at Phillips Bench, and 22 inches at White Elephant. Highway 32 cloes from Ashton to Tetonia for a time on the 4th. On December 5th the Teton School District number 401 was closed due to poor road cond…

Snow amounts were 12 inches in the Drake Creek area of the Teton valley and 8 inches in Victor. At 4 am Highwy 32 was impassable from Ashton to Victor.

The Tie Canyon Fire was detected on August 22nd at 6 pm and was located in between Swan Valley and Victor. The fire grew to 1,014 acres. No mandatory evacuations were ordered. Level one evacuation notices were in effect for residents and property owners south of 10000 South, east…

Lightning on June 29th started a fire west of Island Park in wilderness. The fire was managed and not put out by the forest service.

A post cold frontal wind storm affected the Upper Snake River Highlands on May 9th. Several power poles in Ashton were downed with many residents losing power for several hours in Ashton, Chester, Marysville, and Newdale. Blowing dust dropped visibility to 0.3 miles in Marysville…

The Phillips Bench SNOTEL received 11 inches of snow and the White Elephant site received 16 inches.

Snow amounts reported by spotters were 10 inches at Victor and 9 inches in Driggs. SNOTEL amounts were the following: 25 inches at Black Bear, 13 inches at Island Park, 16 inches at Phillips Bench, and 19 inches at White Elephant.

Six to 10 inches of snow fell in the Upper Snake Highlands on the 21st with 10 inches reported on Ashton Hill and 7 inches in Island Park. Winds were very strong causing limited visiblity and horrible driving conditions. Several slideoffs occurred in the Island Park including one…

Nineteen inches of snow was recorded at the White Elephant SNOTEL site. Multiple slideoffs were reported on US Highway 20 through the Island Park area.

Twenty inches of snow fell at the Black Bear SNOTEL site with 13 inches at White Elephant.

A fire near Island Park began with a lightning stirke on September 4th and continued through September 17th and grew to 553 acres. Several forest service roads were closed due to the fire but it was in open country and threatened no property and was allowed to burn. Rainfall ende…

Five inches of snow fell in Driggs with 8 inches in Victor.

The Phillips Bench SNOTEL recorded 18 inches of snow.

SNOTEL snow reports were the following: Island Park 15 inches, Phillips Bench 17 inches, and White Elephant 16 inches. Idaho route 32 was closed in both directions due to drifting snow and low visibility from mile post 0 to mile post 28 between Ashton and Tetonia on the morning o…