A cold front pushed across North Central Idaho on the evening of 08/08/2008. A line of thunderstorms developed along the frontal boundary and produced damaging winds and hail.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS MSO wrote it up.
A cold front pushed across North Central Idaho on the evening of 08/08/2008. A line of thunderstorms developed along the frontal boundary and produced damaging winds and hail.
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Aug 8, 4:55 PM PST, 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT 655 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2008 .DISCUSSION...RADAR AND SATELLITE COVERAGE HAVE ONLY SHOWN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE THIS EVENING. HAVE DECREASED PRECIPITATION AND SKY COVERAGE ACROSS WESTERN MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO TO SHOW THIS. GENERALLY AREAS AFFECTED TONIGHT WILL BE LEMHI COUNTY IDAHO AND NORTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME INTENSE AT TIMES...BUT EXPECTING ONLY TO PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. OTHER CHANGES TO THE FORECAST WERE FAIRLY MINOR. && .AVIATION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING. EXPECT LOWERING VISIBILITIES AND CEILINGS DUE TO BRIEF HEAVY RAINS WITH THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. STORM OUTFLOW MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AFTER MIDNIGHT... BUT A FEW STORMS MAY PERSIST IN NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 233 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2008/ DISCUSSION...CLEARING SKIES IS ALLOWING FOR CONVECTION TO INITIATE IN CENTRAL IDAHO. EXPECT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL IDAHO AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NORTHWARD THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN MONTANA. AMPLE MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE COULD STILL LEAD TO LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN WITH STORMS...ESPECIALLY IN LEMHI COUNTY WHERE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE IN COVERAGE AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH THE BEST AREA FOR CONVECTION THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS EXPECTED IN WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MONTANA. SATURDAY...THE UPPER LOW OFF THE WASHINGTON COAST WHICH HAS BEEN USHERING IN SHORTWAVES TO INITIATE CONVECTION WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INLAND. THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH EASTERN WASHINGTON DURING THE AFTERNOON. THIS WILL LEAVE MUCH OF WESTERN MONTANA UNDER A STRONG SOUTHERLY MOIST FLOW. MODEL SOUNDINGS...AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...WITH GOOD DYNAMIC SUPPORT FROM THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE STRONG TO POSSIBLY A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND MOVE IN A LINE ACROSS WESTERN MONTANA FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...WITH NORTHWEST MONTANA AND THE GLACIER NATIONAL PARK REGION EXPECTED TO SEE THE STRONGEST STORMS. STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH STORMS. SUNDAY AND MONDAY...TEMPERATURES WILL COOL TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES EASTWARD THROUGH SOUTHERN CANADA. DRIER AIR WILL BE ENTRAINED OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES...LOWERING THE CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION TO NEAR ZERO BY MONDAY EVENING. PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY TIGHT BOTH SUNDAY AND MONDAY...SO EXPECT TO SEE SOME GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON. DRYING TREND WITH NORMAL TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY WEEK. FORECAST MODELS BEGIN TO HINT AT ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE REGION AFFECTING THE AREA BETWEEN WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...BUT DUE TO INCONSISTENCY IN PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS...HAVE LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THIS SOLUTION FOR THE TIME BEING. && .MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...NONE. ID...&& UPDATE...FOSTER PREVIOUS DISCUSSION....RPN/VIA AVIATION...FOSTER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT 1116 AM MDT FRI AUG 8 2008 MTZ001>005-043-090300- KOOTENAI/CABINET REGION-WEST GLACIER REGION- FLATHEAD/MISSION VALLEYS-LOWER CLARK FORK REGION- MISSOULA/BITTERROOT VALLEYS-POTOMAC/SEELEY LAKE REGION- 1116 AM MDT FRI AUG 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST MONTANA AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE TODAY. THE MAIN THREAT TODAY AND THIS EVENING FROM STORMS WILL BE HEAVY RAIN. LOCAL PONDING OF WATER IN FIELDS AND ROADWAYS IS POSSIBLE NEAR STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY AGAIN SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE REGION. THESE STORMS ON SATURDAY COULD POTENTIALLY BE SEVERE ESPECIALLY FROM MISSOULA NORTHWARD...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. IDZ005-006-MTZ006-007-090300- NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-SOUTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS- BITTERROOT/SAPPHIRE MOUNTAINS-BUTTE/BLACKFOOT REGION- 1116 AM MDT FRI AUG 8 2008 /1016 AM PDT FRI AUG 8 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT FROM STORMS WILL BE HEAVY RAIN. LOCAL PONDING OF WATER IN FIELDS AND ON ROADWAYS IS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY AGAIN SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION. THESE STORMS ON SATURDAY COULD POTENTIALLY BE STRONG...PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. IDZ009-010-090300- WESTERN LEMHI COUNTY-EASTERN LEMHI COUNTY- 1116 AM MDT FRI AUG 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/MISSOULA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. SLOW STORM MOTION WILL LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH MAY PRODUCE LOCAL PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS...ON ROADWAYS AND FLASH FLOODING IN STEEP TERRAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY AGAIN SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION. THESE STORMS ON SATURDAY COULD POTENTIALLY BE STRONG...PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. IDZ007-008-090300- OROFINO/GRANGEVILLE REGION-LOWER HELLS CANYON/SALMON RIVER REGION- 1016 AM PDT FRI AUG 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE TODAY BECOMING POTENTIALLY STRONG THIS AFTERNOON. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY AGAIN SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE REGION. THESE STORMS ON SATURDAY COULD POTENTIALLY BE SEVERE..PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
The Spokane radar (KOTX), 161 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:44 UTC.
2 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported penny size hail and numerous trees and branches blown down from downtown Orofino to 5 miles northwest of Orofino.
A trained spotter reported damage to a boat dock and several boats at the Dworshak Reservoir. Numerous trees were also reported blown down, causing a power outage in Orofino with fire starts.
A trained spotter reported an estimated wind gust to 60 mph from a passing thunderstorm.
A trained spotter reported penny size hail. The Dent, ID RAWAS observation station recorded a wind gust of 54 MPH.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, August 2008
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: 128500, 128499, 128498, 128501.