Idaho, 1998

Tornado and Hail in Idaho, April 23, 1998

April 23, 1998 · NWS BOI · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

A long lived severe thunderstorm crossed into Idaho from south east Oregon and cut a path of damage from Owyhee County, through the Boise metropolitan area and into the Boise Mountains. In Owyhee County the storm produced winds which knocked down power poles.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOI wrote it up.

A long lived severe thunderstorm crossed into Idaho from south east Oregon and cut a path of damage from Owyhee County, through the Boise metropolitan area and into the Boise Mountains. In Owyhee County the storm produced winds which knocked down power poles. As the storm crossed into Ada County numerous reports of large hail up to golf ball size were received along with damaging winds up to 59 mph. Many trees were blown down and a greenhouse sustained heavy damage from large hail. In Canyon County and Gem County golf ball hail was reported. As the storm moved into Boise County golf ball size hail was reported by spotters in Horseshoe Bend and winds damaged a mobile home. Wind blown debris smashed a car window. A wind gust of 74 mph was reported south of Idaho City. In Elmore County, outflow winds from the thunderstorm gusted to 74 mph at Mountain Home Air Force Base. The winds damaged roofs and irrigation equipment in and around Mountain Home. In Owyhee County the gust front spawned a short lived, weak tornado which did no damage.

The radar

The Boise radar (KCBX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:39 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Owyhee

When
April 23, 2:30 PM MST
Where
Owyhee County, De Lamar
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates
43.020, -116.820

Hail, Canyon

When
April 23, 3:15 PM MST
Where
Canyon County, 6 mi N of Melba
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
43.450, -116.530

Hail, Gem

When
April 23, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Gem County, Sweet
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
43.970, -116.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Elmore

When
April 23, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Elmore County, Mountain Home Afb
Measured
64 kt (74 mph)
Coordinates
43.050, -115.870

Tornado, Owyhee

When
April 23, 4:10 PM MST to 4:13 PM MST
Where
Owyhee County, 4 mi NW of Bruneau
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
42.920, -115.830

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Idaho in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Idaho, 1998Warnings in Idaho, April 1998

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: 5636877, 5636879, 5636881, 5636882, 5636883.