Washington, 1997

Lightning Strike in Washington, September 10, 1997

September 10, 1997 · NWS PQR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 lightning, 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 Portland,OR radar (KRTX), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:27 UTC.

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Event by event

1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Clark

When
September 10, 6:30 AM PST
Where
Clark County, 1 mi S of Sifton
Coordinates
45.779, -122.483 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A lightning strike caused a widespread power outage that left 20000 homes without power for about 3 hours. A large school and several businesses closed for the day, and 3/4 of the traffic lights in Vancouver were out of service.

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Washington in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, September 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: 5621783.