Lightning strikes caused a wildfire 8 miles northeast of American Falls reaching 12,500 acres. No structures were damaged by the fire.
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 PIH wrote it up.
Lightning strikes caused a wildfire 8 miles northeast of American Falls reaching 12,500 acres. No structures were damaged by the fire.
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 Pocatello, ID wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 6, 12:57 PM MST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 157 PM MDT FRI AUG 6 2010 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. WEAKLY SPLIT TROUGH CONTINUES TO LINGER ALONG COAST WITH UPPER RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING NORTH THROUGH THE ROCKIES. SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH PANHANDLE WITH SECONDARY WEAVE MOVING NORTHEAST OUT OF NEVADA THIS AFTERNOON. MOIST AIR MASS IN PLACE WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES BETWEEN .85 AND 1.0 INCH. SHEAR PROFILES SUPPORT LARGELY STRAIGHT LINE WINDS BUT TERRAIN INTERACTIONS WITH MULTIPLE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES WILL LIKELY COMPLICATE THE ISSUE. COVERAGE LIKELY TO DECREASE OVERNIGHT AS SHORTWAVE AXIS PASSES THROUGH BUT HAVE SEEN CONVECTION LINGER OVERNIGHT SO WILL LEAVE ISOLATED STORMS IN PLACE. NAM SUPPORTS THIS SCENARIO WITH CONVECTION OVER SOUTHEAST CORNER 06Z-12Z. REPEAT OCCURS ON SATURDAY WITH ANOTHER SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH PANHANDLE THOUGH AIRMASS DRIES OUT SLIGHTLY WITH LOWER PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES. BY SUNDAY...BASE OF TROUGH DROPS FURTHER SOUTH THROUGH CALIFORNIA WHILE NORTHERN PORTION OF TROUGH AMPLIFIES SLIGHTLY. RIDGE AXIS FLATTENS SLIGHTLY TO LET OVERALL TROUGH AXIS SLIP A LITTLE FURTHER EAST. SOME MID LEVEL DRYING OCCURS WITH CONVERGENCE ALOFT SO CONVECTIVE THREAT APPEARS TO WEAKEN SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. DMH .LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SPLIT FLOW CONSOLIDATES AND SHORTWAVE TROUGH FROM CALIFORNIA EJECTS NORTHEAST THROUGH THE GREAT BASIN. SOME THUNDERSTORM THREAT EXISTS EARLY IN THE WEEK BUT AMOUNT OF MOISTURE REMAINS A QUESTION. GFS REDEVELOPS SPLIT FLOW WITH NORTHERN TROUGH THROUGH CENTRAL CANADA AND STRONGER CUT OFF LOW OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST BY MID WEEK. ECMWF IS SLIGHTLY OUT OF PHASE THOUGH IS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH TROUGH ACROSS THE PACNW AND STRONG HIGH CENTERED IN GULF ALASKA. BY THE END OF THE WEEK BOTH MODELS MOVE TROUGH/LOW EASTWARD WITH RIDGING SOMEWHERE EITHER ALONG THE WEST COAST OR SLIGHTLY INLAND. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY HAVE LEFT WEAK POPS FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST BROADBRUSHED MAINLY OVER HIGHER TERRAIN...AND MADE FEW ADJUSTMENTS TO REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST GRIDS. DMH && .AVIATION...ANOTHER ROUND OF -TSRA THIS AFTERNOON...HOWEVER THE MAIN LINE WAS ALREADY MOVING THROUGH THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN AND SUBSEQUENT CONVECTION MAY BE FAIRLY LIMITED. NAM GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT DRY AIR MOVES IN A MID-LEVELS AND THUS THE INSTABILITY HAS MUCH LESS MOISTURE TO WORK WITH. HAVE LEFT LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING WITH VCTS AND PUT TEMPO GROUPS EARLIER DUE TO THIS LINE. MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING IN NORTHEAST NEVADA AND WILL BEAR WATCHING...BUT ARE MORE PULSE-LIKE RATHER THAN A SIGNIFICANT BOUNDARY MOVING THROUGH. GUSTY AND VARIABLE WIND IN AND AROUND THESE CELLS...BUT OTHERWISE LIGHT SOUTHERLY TO SOUTHWEST WIND SHOULD SHIFT TO NORTHEAST AND EAST AT KBYI KIDA AND KPIH. ALSO EXPECT NORMAL SLOPE-VALLEY WIND DYNAMICS AT KSUN. MUCH DRIER ON SAT IN THE ATMOSPHERE SHOULD MEAN MORE DIFFICULTY IN GENERATING -TSRA. MESSICK && .FIRE WEATHER...LAST SIGNIFICANT SURGE OF UNSTABLE MOIST AIR CONTINUES THIS AFTERNOON WITH RED FLAG CONDITIONS DUE TO THE LIGHTNING ACTIVITY. TROUGHING AT THE COAST SHIFTS SOME AND THE WIND BECOMES MORE SOUTHWESTERLY ALOFT...BRINGING IN A DRY SLOT THAT WILL MAKE THUNDERSTORMS MORE DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP. THE RISK DROPS SO MUCH THAT RED FLAG WARNINGS WILL NOT BE NEEDED FOR SAT AT THIS TIME. WITH THE COASTAL TROUGH MOVING A LITTLE INLAND...TEMPERATURES COOL SOME AND WILL OFFSET SOME OF THE DRIER AIR MOVING IN FOR LITTLE CHANGE IN HUMIDITY. NEXT FEATURE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ARRIVES TUE NIGHT. WHILE THERE ARE MODEL DIFFERENCES IN ITS INTENSITY...A TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH IDAHO ON TUE NIGHT/WED MORNING. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH DRYING OCCURS AFTER THE CURRENT SURGE OF MOIST AIR IS DONE...IT MAY BE CLASSIC RED FLAG CONDITIONS DUE TO DRY COLD FRONT PASSAGE. MESSICK && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING BELOW 5500 FEET FOR THE IDZ017-019>022. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 335 AM MDT FRI AUG 6 2010 IDZ017>025-031-032-070945- EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY-SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS-UPPER SNAKE HIGHLANDS- UPPER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN-LOWER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN- SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-CARIBOU HIGHLANDS- CACHE VALLEY/IDAHO PORTION-WASATCH MOUNTAINS/IDAHO PORTION- BIG AND LITTLE WOOD RIVER REGION-LOST RIVER/PAHSIMEROI- 335 AM MDT FRI AUG 6 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN IDAHO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE STRONG WITH ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER ALSO POSSIBLE. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL BE IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. SMALL HAIL, GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS TO 60 MPH, FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES, AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. ACTIVITY WILL WEAKEN AND DIMINISH OVERNIGHT. A RED FLAG WARNING FOR LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TO 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 409-410-412 BELOW 5500 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ANOTHER ROUND OF SCATTERED TO ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS EASTERN IDAHO ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DRIER WEATHER STARTS WORKING INTO THE REGION BEGINNING ON SUNDAY WITH THUNDERSTORM THREAT DECREASING THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WE ASK TRAINED SPOTTERS AND CITIZENS TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. THESE CONDITIONS MAY INCLUDE HAIL...TORNADOES...STRONG WIND...DUST STORMS...SNOWFALL... EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES...FREEZING RAIN OR HEAVY RAIN...DENSE FOG...AND FLOODING OR ICE JAMS. INFORMATION ABOUT THESE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS SHOULD BE CALLED INTO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN POCATELLO USING THE 1-800 SEVERE WEATHER HOTLINE...OR 208-233-0834.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
233 PM MDT FRI AUG 06 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0225 PM HAIL 2 WNW FELT 43.89N 111.21W
08/06/2010 M0.25 INCH TETON ID TRAINED SPOTTER
MIXED WITH HEAVY RAINFALL
&&
JKEYESSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO 335 PM MDT FRI AUG 6 2010 IDZ017-021-022-062215- BLAINE ID-POWER ID-CASSIA ID- 335 PM MDT FRI AUG 6 2010 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN POCATELLO HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... SOUTHEASTERN BLAINE COUNTY IN CENTRAL IDAHO NORTHEASTERN CASSIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO WEST CENTRAL POWER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IDAHO UNTIL 415 PM MDT AT 333 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES WEST OF COLD WATER..MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... COLD WATER... LAT...LON 4290 11315 4269 11284 4246 11326 4259 11344 TIME...MOT...LOC 2135Z 223DEG 20KT 4260 11325
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
343 PM MDT FRI AUG 6 2010
IDZ018-031-032-062245-
CUSTER ID-BLAINE ID-
343 PM MDT FRI AUG 6 2010
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN POCATELLO HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
NORTHWESTERN BLAINE COUNTY IN CENTRAL IDAHO
CUSTER COUNTY IN CENTRAL IDAHO
UNTIL 445 PM MDT
AT 338 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTIONS OF CUSTER COUNTY AND NEAR
GALENA SUMMIT..MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS IS ALSO POSSIBLE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CHALLIS...
CLAYTON...
STANLEY...
GALENA SUMMIT...
OBSIDIAN...
SMILEY CREEK AIRPORT...
THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 4474 11420 4474 11410 4450 11382 4444 11358
4363 11466 4379 11469 4378 11484 4385 11497
4403 11505 4413 11502 4433 11528 4443 11522
4458 11530 4475 11512 4472 11493 4480 11480
4465 11472 4459 11448 4473 11441 4486 11421
TIME...MOT...LOC 2140Z 236DEG 30KT 4456 11408
JKEYESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
355 PM MDT FRI AUG 06 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0345 PM TSTM WND GST POCATELLO ARPT 42.92N 112.60W
08/06/2010 M48 MPH POWER ID ASOS
&&
JKEYESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
421 PM MDT FRI AUG 06 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0419 PM TSTM WND GST 5 N BLACKFOOT 43.27N 112.35W
08/06/2010 E50.00 MPH BINGHAM ID TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER ESTIMATED A 50 MPH WIND GUST AT THE
BLACKFOOT REST STOP ON I-15
&&
CHATTINGSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO
450 PM MDT FRI AUG 06 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0425 PM TSTM WND GST 5 NW MORELAND 43.27N 112.52W
08/06/2010 M61.00 MPH BINGHAM ID MESONET
&&
CHATTINGS1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning strikes caused a wildfire 8 miles northeast of American Falls reaching 12,500 acres. No structures were damaged by the fire.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, August 2010
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: 259032.