Lightning struck a power pole in the northern part of Idaho Falls and left 1,700 Rocky Mountain Power customers without power for just over one hour on April 10th. A power line was arcing on the ground and caused a brief fire.
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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 struck a power pole in the northern part of Idaho Falls and left 1,700 Rocky Mountain Power customers without power for just over one hour on April 10th. A power line was arcing on the ground and caused a brief 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 Apr 10, 12:50 PM MST, 2 hours 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 150 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. LOTS OF MOISTURE HANGING AROUND THE REGION. THIS MOISTURE IS COMBINING WITH AFTERNOON HEATING TO PRODUCE AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF THE REGION. EXPECT MOST BUT PERHAPS NOT ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY TO DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING HOURS. VERY SMALL HAIL AND SOME GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. OTHERWISE A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS SITUATED OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THIS SYSTEM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUMPING MOISTURE THROUGH THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST INTO IDAHO. EXPECT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ONCE AGAIN ON MONDAY WITH MOST OF THE ACTIVITY DIMINISHING DURING THE EVENING HOURS. ON TUESDAY THE LOW WILL BEGIN MOVE THROUGH ARIZONA AS AN UPPER LEVEL FRONT MOVES THROUGH IDAHO...THIS WILL PRODUCE SLIGHTLY BETTER COVERAGE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE LOW WILL MOVE INTO NEW MEXICO TUESDAY NIGHT...HOWEVER ANOTHER LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. EXPECT A BATCH OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS OF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. EXPECT ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY AS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL COLD FRONTS MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. VALLE .LONG TERM...WED NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SUN NIGHT. EXPECTING TWO SHARPLY DIVIDED SCENARIOS DURING THE EXTENDED FORECAST...WITH THE SECOND HALF OF THE FORECAST MORE IN DOUBT. UP FRONT...THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT SOME HEAVY PRECIPITATION THAT STARTED IN THE NEAR TERM FORECAST WILL CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH THU AFTERNOON...AND POSSIBLY INTO THU NIGHT. BEYOND THIS POINT IN THE FORECAST...THE ECMWF AND GFS ARE OF TWO DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS. BOTH ARE DRIER THAN THE WED NIGHT TO THU NIGHT TIMEFRAME...BUT THE ECMWF IS CONSIDERABLY SO...WITH STRONG 500MB HEIGHTS AND AN EXITING CLOSED LOW THAT IS MUCH DRIER AND FASTER TO EXIT DURING THE PERIOD. HAVE COMPROMISED BETWEEN THE TWO SOLUTIONS DURING THIS DRIER PERIOD. SNOW MAY RETURN DURING THIS TIME FOR AT LEAST THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WITH THE FORECAST AREA IN THE COLD SECTOR OF THE LOW FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR QUITE A BIT OF WIND AS WELL. THE LONG WAVE FORECAST AT 500MB NOT HELPING TOO MUCH. IT CONTINUES THE NEAR ZONAL AND MODERATE TO FAST FLOW INTO FRI NIGHT OR SO...THEN IN THE LAST 24 HOURS DOES BRING AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE INTO THE GREAT BASIN. THIS CONFIRMS A DRIER FORECAST FOR THE SECOND HALF...SO HAVE ADJUSTED POPS A LITTLE BIT DURING THAT TIME. MESSICK && .AVIATION...INSTABILITY FORECASTS CONTINUE TO INDICATE AT LEAST AN ISOLATED THREAT OF -TSRA AT ALL FOUR AIRDROMES...BUT THE INCREASING NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFT ALLOWS KIDA TO DRY OUT AND STABILIZE FASTER THAN THE OTHER THREE AIRPORTS. FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON...A LINE OF SHOWERS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN AND EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY. THIS WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD AND AFFECT KPIH BETWEEN 09/23Z AND 10/01Z AND KBYI BETWEEN 10/00Z AND 10/02Z...BOTH TIMINGS BASED ON HRRR REFLECTIVITY FORECASTS. AFTER SOME POST CONVECTION CLEARING...A LATE NIGHT BAND OF MOISTURE AT OR JUST BELOW 700MB MOVES THROUGH THE AREA...BUT VERY LITTLE PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE. CLEARING SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE LATE MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON ON MON. MESSICK && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 254 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 IDZ021-023-102130- CARIBOU HIGHLANDS ID-LOWER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN ID- 254 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 ...LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING FOR SOUTH POCATELLO UNTIL 330 PM MDT... AT 251 PM MDT...MINOR STREET FLOODING WAS REPORTED NEAR CLINTON AND SOUTH GRANT STREETS IN POCATELLO. THE THUNDERSTORM RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FLOODING IS MOVING AWAY FROM THE AREA. FLOODING SHOULD SUBSIDE BY 330 PM. TRAFFIC THROUGH THE AREA WILL NEED TO REDUCE SPEED OR FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SOUTH POCATELLO. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 4278 11238 4283 11252 4288 11247 4284 11237 TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 180DEG 0KT 4282 11240 VALLE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 257 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 IDZ021-023-102145- CARIBOU HIGHLANDS ID-LOWER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN ID- 257 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 ...PEA SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL AFFECTING NORTH BANNOCK COUNTY UNTIL 345 PM MDT... AT 255 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR THE EAST BENCH OF POCATELLO. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. PEA SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THE STORM SHOULD DIMINISH BY 345 PM. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 4295 11220 4285 11230 4295 11245 4300 11241 TIME...MOT...LOC 2055Z 107DEG 4KT 4295 11239 VALLE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
314 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0245 PM FLASH FLOOD POCATELLO 42.88N 112.47W
04/10/2016 BANNOCK ID SOCIAL MEDIA
MINOR STREET FLOODING REPORTED NEAR SOUTH GRANT AND
CLINTON STREETS IN POCATELLO. 4 TO 6 INCHES DEEP. TRAFFIC
CAN STILL PASS THROUGH SAFELY.
&&
VALLESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 355 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 IDZ020-032-102230- UPPER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN ID-LOST RIVER/PASHIMEROI ID- 355 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 ...NORTHWESTERN BINGHAM AND SOUTHEASTERN BUTTE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM MDT... AT 351 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF CENTRAL INL...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THIS STORM IS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS AND PEA SIZE HAIL. PONDING OF WATER IS LIKELY ON US 20 AND 26 BETWEEN BUTTE CITY AND ATOMIC CITY. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... ATOMIC CITY AND CENTRAL INL. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 4358 11273 4339 11283 4364 11319 4374 11318 TIME...MOT...LOC 2151Z 325DEG 7KT 4362 11302 RS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
429 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016
IDZ020-102315-
UPPER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN ID-
429 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016
...HALF INCH HAIL AFFECTING NORTHWESTERN BINGHAM AND SOUTHEASTERN
BUTTE COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM MDT...
AT 426 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
ATOMIC CITY. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.
HALF INCH HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM ALONG WITH BRIEF
HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS. THIS STORM WILL CROSS US 20 BETWEEN SOUTHEAST
INL AND ATOMIC CITY.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ATOMIC CITY AND EAST BUTTE.
LAT...LON 4356 11257 4345 11258 4338 11270 4350 11294
4360 11281
TIME...MOT...LOC 2226Z 180DEG 0KT 4354 11281SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID 429 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 IDZ017-020-102315- UPPER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN ID-EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY ID- 429 PM MDT SUN APR 10 2016 ...HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AFFECTING EASTERN BLAINE AND SOUTH CENTRAL BUTTE COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM MDT... AT 427 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CRATERS OF THE MOON. THIS STORM IS SLOWLY MOVING SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... CRATERS OF THE MOON. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 4349 11335 4331 11342 4337 11359 4351 11348 TIME...MOT...LOC 2227Z 021DEG 3KT 4343 11346 TW
The Pocatello radar (KSFX), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:39 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck a power pole in the northern part of Idaho Falls and left 1,700 Rocky Mountain Power customers without power for just over one hour on April 10th. A power line was arcing on the ground and caused a brief fire.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, April 2016
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: 631199.