Alert archive / Idaho / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 13, NWS Missoula, MT

July 23, 2026Clearwater County, Idaho

NWS Missoula, MT issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 23, 2026, 6:24 PM PDT for Clearwater County, Idaho. It was in force for 36 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 23, 2026, 6:24 PM PDT (01:24 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 2026, 7:00 PM PDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Missoula, MT
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Clearwater County, ID

The radar

The Missoula radar (KMSX), 159 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:27 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Boise Airport, ID (KBOI), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 352 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Boise Airport, ID at 00:00Z on 2026-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 249 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Boise Airport, ID at 00:00Z on 2026-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 18 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
249 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-134 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3324 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
158 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

366 
WUUS55 KMSO 240124
SVRMSO
IDC035-240200-
/O.NEW.KMSO.SV.W.0013.260724T0124Z-260724T0200Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Missoula MT
724 PM MDT Thu Jul 23 2026

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Northwestern Clearwater County in the panhandle of Idaho...

* Until 700 PM PDT.

* At 624 PM PDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line from
  near Elk River to 10 miles northeast of Orofino, or along a line
  from 22 miles north of Orofino to 10 miles northeast of Orofino,
  moving northeast at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Elk River, Headquarters, Cardiff, Jaype and Dent.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. These storms are capable of producing damaging winds.

&&

LAT...LON 4664 11623 4672 11633 4688 11633 4693 11619
      4693 11571 4683 11561 4660 11551 4642 11618
TIME...MOT...LOC 0123Z 244DEG 29KT 4680 11626 4668 11611 4655 11608

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$
1 follow-up statement
404 
WWUS55 KMSO 240157
SVSMSO

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Missoula MT
757 PM MDT Thu Jul 23 2026

IDC035-240207-
/O.EXP.KMSO.SV.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260724T0200Z/
Clearwater ID-
657 PM PDT Thu Jul 23 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM PDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN CLEARWATER COUNTY...

The storms which prompted the warning have weakened below severe
limits, and no longer pose an immediate threat to life or property.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. However, gusty
winds are still possible with these thunderstorms.

&&

LAT...LON 4664 11623 4672 11633 4688 11633 4693 11619
      4693 11571 4683 11561 4660 11551 4642 11618
TIME...MOT...LOC 0124Z 244DEG 29KT 4681 11625 4668 11610 4655 11607

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 23, 10:41 AM PDT, 7 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 23, 10:41 AM PDT, 7 hours 43 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
1141 AM MDT Thu Jul 23 2026

.DISCUSSION...

KEY MESSAGES:

-  Strong to severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening
   across north-central Idaho, tracking toward the Montana state
   line. Hazards include gusts up to 60 mph and up to 1-inch
   hail.

-  Elevated fire weather (hot, dry, breezy) starting Friday and lasting
   into the weekend region-wide.

-  Worsening wildfire smoke degrading air quality and reducing
   visibility.

The region remains on the western periphery of a large- scale
upper-level ridge. Persistent synoptic descent and subsidence
aloft will maintain, hot, dry, and smoky conditions with no
widespread precipitation anticipated through the weekend.

Despite broad subsidence, localized thermodynamic forcing will
help to trigger strong to severe convection today (1:00 PM - 10:00
PM). Effective shear (~40 kt), modest CAPE (~1,000 J/kg), and
high DCAPE (~1,500 J/kg) will support organized discrete storms
initiating near the Snake River canyon in north-central Idaho
tracking northeastward to the ID/MT border. The strongest storms
in this environment will be capable of producing damaging winds up
to 60 mph and hail up to 1-inch in diameter. Climatologically
high moisture availability (PWATS > 1 inch) will yield brief
heavy downpours, but rapid storm movement will prevent concerns
for flash flooding. There is a 10-20% chance that decaying storms
reach the I-90 corridor late this evening which may bring a gusty
outflow threat to the area.

Breezy southwesterly winds Friday through Sunday will combine with
low humidity and hot temperatures to elevate fire weather
concerns. Red Flag Warnings are not currently being issued due to
live fuels and soil moisture remaining relatively high for this
time of year and wind speeds only on the edge of what would be an
immediate concern for fire weather products. Nonetheless,
elevated fire weather conditions and increased active fire
behavior is to remain expected on any active burns or new
ignitions.

Deep SW flow will continually transport Washington and Oregon
wildfire smoke into ID/MT, maintaining poor air quality and
decreased visibilities across the region. No Heat Advisories are
planned as of yet due to overnight temperature recovery and
shading from smoke limiting absolute maximum temperatures during
the peak of the afternoon hours.

&&

.AVIATION... Wildfire smoke (FU/HZ) remains the primary prevailing
hazard, causing periods of MVFR visibilities through the next
couple days especially noticeable near sunset, through the
overnight and into mid-morning with some clearing each afternoon
due to deep mixing. Ridgetop winds increase to about 30 knots
through today out of the west and southwest with surface wind
gusts as high as 30 knots possible region-wide during peak
heating.

Strong to severe convection today mostly targets KGIC from
23/2200z to 24/0300z (isolated gusts up to 60 mph possible, hail
up to 1 inch in diameter). Activity decays to the northeast near
I-90 where prob30 groups remain for elevated winds at KHRF and
KMSO.

Hot temperatures, especially Friday, will impact aircraft
performance particularly at higher-elevation terminals like KBTM.

&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
ID...None.
&&

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 23, 4:49 PM PDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Missoula MT
549 PM MDT Thu Jul 23 2026

IDZ007-008-240030-
Orofino/Grangeville Region ID-Lower Hells Canyon/Salmon River
Region ID-
449 PM PDT Thu Jul 23 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL IDAHO COUNTY UNTIL
530 PM PDT...

At 449 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 21
miles west of White Bird, or 30 miles west of Grangeville, moving
northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 30 mph and heavy rainfall.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
  Keuterville.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 4600 11653 4604 11652 4612 11651 4596 11629
      4578 11659 4578 11666 4583 11671 4582 11676
      4583 11679 4586 11679 4587 11675 4589 11673
      4594 11676 4599 11672 4600 11670 4600 11665
      4603 11665 4604 11663 4603 11658 4600 11654
TIME...MOT...LOC 2349Z 224DEG 21KT 4582 11674

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 5:31 PM PDT, 53 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Missoula MT
631 PM MDT Thu Jul 23 2026

IDZ006>008-240100-
Orofino/Grangeville Region ID-Southern Clearwater Mountains ID-
Lower Hells Canyon/Salmon River Region ID-
531 PM PDT Thu Jul 23 2026

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN IDAHO AND
SOUTHWESTERN CLEARWATER COUNTIES UNTIL 6 PM PDT...

At 531 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a line of strong
thunderstorms extending from 22 miles southwest of Orofino to 9 miles
north of Riggins, or extending from 22 miles southwest of Orofino to
27 miles south of Grangeville, moving east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 30 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
  Grangeville, Kooskia, White Bird, East Kamiah, Clearwater,
  Cottonwood, Stites, Ferdinand, Harpster, Fenn, Winona, Copperville,
  Canfield, Slate Creek, Keuterville, Lucile, Golden, Pardee, Fall
  Creek and Woodland.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 4600 11653 4604 11652 4613 11651 4612 11648
      4614 11648 4620 11645 4620 11642 4615 11620
      4621 11614 4621 11606 4623 11601 4630 11613
      4640 11618 4642 11610 4594 11557 4552 11577
      4544 11636 4602 11658 4600 11654
TIME...MOT...LOC 0031Z 255DEG 31KT 4622 11651 4588 11603 4555 11626

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Missoula, MT issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 23, 5:31 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOLewis29 min
Jul 23, 6:44 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOIdaho31 min
Jul 23, 7:01 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOClearwater14 min
Jul 23, 8:05 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOIdaho25 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Idaho, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.