Thunderstorm Wind, Nez Perce
- When
- May 31, 12:59 PM PST
- Where
- Nez Perce County, Lewiston
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph)
- Coordinates
- 46.420, -117.020
57 mph thunderstorm gust
Tornadoes and Hail in Idaho, May 31, 1997
5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 2 hail, 1 heavy rain, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The radar
The Spokane radar (KOTX), 147 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:57 UTC.
Event by event
5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 2 hail, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Tornado, Kootenai
- When
- May 31, 1:05 PM PST to 1:10 PM PST
- Where
- Kootenai County, Athol to 8 mi ESE of Athol
- Rating
- F2
- Path length
- 5 mi
- Path width
- 50 yd
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Coordinates
- 47.870, -116.580
nws survey team concluded f2 tornado touched down and caused damage to old growth trees
Tornado, Nez Perce
- When
- May 31, 1:10 PM PST
- Where
- Nez Perce County, 2 mi E of Lewiston
- Rating
- F0
- Path width
- 25 yd
- Coordinates
- 46.420, -116.970
eyewitness interviewed, concluded f0 tornado
Thunderstorm Wind, Kootenai
- When
- May 31, 1:15 PM PST
- Where
- Kootenai County, 1 mi E of Rathdrum
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Coordinates
- 47.820, -116.880
60 mph gust
Thunderstorm Wind, Kootenai
- When
- May 31, 1:15 PM PST
- Where
- Kootenai County, Hayden
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Coordinates
- 47.770, -116.780
60 mph gust
Hail, Lewis
- When
- May 31, 1:15 PM PST
- Where
- Lewis County, Craigmont to 5 mi W of Lapwai
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 46.230, -116.570
3/4 inch hail
Thunderstorm Wind, Latah
- When
- May 31, 1:26 PM PST
- Where
- Latah County, Helmer
- Measured
- 68 kt (78 mph)
- Coordinates
- 46.800, -116.450
68 mph gust
Heavy Rain, Bonner
- When
- May 31, 1:45 PM PST
- Where
- Bonner County, Cocolalla
- Coordinates
- 48.300, -116.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
3/4 inches of rain in 35 minutes
Hail, Shoshone
- When
- May 31, 1:46 PM PST
- Where
- Shoshone County, Pinehurst
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 47.530, -116.230
3/4 inch hail
Thunderstorm Wind, Boundary
- When
- May 31, 2:15 PM PST
- Where
- Boundary County, Bonners Ferry
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Coordinates
- 48.700, -116.320
60 mph gust and 1/2 inch hail
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Hail in Washington, May 31, 1997
- Tornado in Washington, May 31, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Idaho, May 31, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Washington, May 31, 1997
- Tornado and Hail in Idaho, May 31, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Tennessee, May 31, 1997
- Cold in New Jersey, May 31, 1997
- Cold in Pennsylvania, May 31, 1997
- Tornado in Oregon, May 31, 1997
- Flooding in Indiana, May 31, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Florida, May 31, 1997
- Flooding in Indiana, May 31, 1997
More
Every storm in Idaho in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Idaho, 1997Warnings in Idaho, May 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5599559, 5599561, 5599562, 5599563, 5599564, 5599566, 5599679, 5599680, 5599681, 5599682.