Idaho, 2000

Hail and Damaging Winds in Idaho, February 14, 2000

February 14, 2000 · NWS PIH · 11 events in 9 counties and zones

A line of severe thunderstorms swept across the Snake River Valley of Eastern Idaho on the afternoon of Feb 14. The widespread effect and destruction wrought by these storms were unprecedented in Idaho; so was the tornadic outbreak as the line spawned five tornados.

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
2
Property damage
$2.9 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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 PIH wrote it up.

A line of severe thunderstorms swept across the Snake River Valley of Eastern Idaho on the afternoon of Feb 14. The widespread effect and destruction wrought by these storms were unprecedented in Idaho; so was the tornadic outbreak as the line spawned five tornados. The line took on a classic bow echo appearance as it charged east at 50 mph. A mesonet established throughout the valley recorded an awesome straight line wind of 60 to 95 mph. A new all time record for highest wind gust in Idaho was recorded at Minidoka at 96.3 mph! This surpassed the previous wind gust record of 90 mph that occured at Moscow Pullman Airport on 2/8/90.

The radar

The Pocatello radar (KSFX), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:54 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Minidoka

When
February 14, 2:54 PM MST to 3:30 PM MST
Where
Minidoka County, Countywide
Measured
84 kt (96 mph)
Property damage
$80,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
42.867, -113.717

Near Rupert, a mesonet station recorded 96.3 mph wind gust, which is a new state wind speed record. Nearby, a home sustained roof damage and a its porch was torn off and destroyed. Three large signs were destroyed, one of which fell on a car. Several homes sustained minor roof damage. Several wheel line irrigation systems were damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Blaine

When
February 14, 3:05 PM MST to 3:50 PM MST
Where
Blaine County, 35 mi SE of Carey
Measured
83 kt (96 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
42.933, -113.467

Wheel line irrigations systems damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Butte

When
February 14, 3:17 PM MST to 4:15 PM MST
Where
Butte County, Arco Butte
Measured
81 kt (93 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.600, -113.333

Thunderstorm Wind, Power

When
February 14, 3:20 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where
Power County, Countywide
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$70,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
42.717, -112.800

Two homes sustained roof damage. Ten wheel line irrigations systems were damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bingham

When
February 14, 3:30 PM MST to 4:50 PM MST
Where
Bingham County, Countywide
Measured
74 kt (86 mph)
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$2.5 million
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.217, -112.333

Bingham county sustained by far the most damage from both the straight line wind and the tornadoes. Wind along I-15 near Blackfoot flipped 3 tractor trailers (1 injury) and forced a Greyhound bus (1 injury) into the median. Poles for electric lines were downed wholesale. Loss of power would idle 700 workers from potato processing plants and 350 workers from a flour mill for the remainder of the week. In Moreland and in Shelley, both the elementary and high schools suffered roof damage. A trailer home was destroyed and two more tipped over. Scores of homes suffered minor roof damage. Dozens of sheds and outbuildings were destroyed or damaged along with an airport hanger. Innumerable trees, some over 60 years old, were toppled. Damage to center pivot and wheel line irrigation systems will easily top $1 million dollars alone.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When
February 14, 3:50 PM MST to 4:40 PM MST
Where
Jefferson County, Countywide
Measured
64 kt (74 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.817, -112.367

One home was damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bonneville

When
February 14, 3:55 PM MST to 5:10 PM MST
Where
Bonneville County, Countywide
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$200,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.350, -111.733

A warehouse roof was torn off and crushed a car. Many large trees were downed, closing city streets in Idaho Falls and crushing at least one car. The vehicle's occupants narrowly escaped injury. Several large signs were destroyed. Farms were hit hard with damage to irrigation systems, outbuildings and farm implements.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bannock

When
February 14, 3:55 PM MST to 4:40 PM MST
Where
Bannock County, Mc Cammon
Measured
51 kt (59 mph)
Property damage
$40,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.650, -112.183

Widespread minor damage to houses and fences, along with downed trees, were reported in Chubbuck.

Hail, Bannock

When
February 14, 4:06 PM MST to 4:15 PM MST
Where
Bannock County, Chubbuck
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.917, -112.450

Numerous reports of hail from .75 to 1.00 inches in size. In Inkom, hail of 1.00 inches was reported to a depth of 6 inches.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caribou

When
February 14, 4:10 PM MST to 5:10 PM MST
Where
Caribou County, Bancroft
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
42.717, -111.867

One wheel line irrigation system damaged.

Hail, Power

When
February 14, 4:15 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where
Power County, Arbon
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.450, -112.567

Hail damage occurred to several vehicles.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Idaho in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, February 2000

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: 5132603, 5132170, 5132172, 5132604, 5132169, 5132252, 5132171, 5132605, 5132168, 5132173, 5132606.