Lightning began a fire around 5 pm on July 6th. The fire was grass, juniper and sage and burned about 300 acres to the southwest of Oakley in the Trapper Creek area on the Sawtooth National Forest.
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 began a fire around 5 pm on July 6th. The fire was grass, juniper and sage and burned about 300 acres to the southwest of Oakley in the Trapper Creek area on the Sawtooth National Forest. There were four fire engines and crews, one helicopter, and air tankers working on the fire through the 7th.
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 Jul 6, 11:59 AM MST, 4 hours 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 1259 PM MDT Thu Jul 6 2017 .DISCUSSION...Upper ridge continuing to rotate moisture into the area. Surface dewpoints have come up quite a bit across the region compared to previous day, and this will have a dual affect on the forecast. First, more moisture is available for thunderstorms to develop. Have kept mainly isolated thunderstorms over higher terrain regions during peak diurnal hours each day through Sunday. Second, temperatures have been much slower to rise, and it looks like we'll stay close to or slightly below guidance. That said, we're still talking about the difference of only a few degrees. Will cancel the heat advisory, but with a strong caution: temperatures are expected to cool off SLIGHTLY into Friday with a rebound Saturday and Sunday. Another advisory may be necessary depending if the extra humidity helps keep overnight lows elevated. This is a very fine line, and even without the advisory, people that are susceptible to heat stress are urged to remain cautious. The GFS and ECMWF continue to indicate some flattening of the ridge Sunday, but especially Monday through next week as Pacific trough shifts inland. Sunday through Tuesday could be especially vulnerable days for convective development with additional moisture streamed into the region. Have kept isolated to scattered thunderstorms each afternoon and evening with some expectation that weak convection could linger during the overnight hours. Otherwise, guidance keeps temperatures elevated above normal through the entire period. DMH && .AVIATION...Threat of isolated thunderstorms will exist through most of the period, particularly for KBYI. Models support convective development just south of KBYI, and in the Central Mountains just east of KSUN. A second wave of convection will ride up with a shortwave tonight which would support continuing convective activity. We have moderate confidence in the continued convection tonight, but less confidence in actual location. Hinsberger && .FIRE WEATHER...Persistent upper ridging will generally steer hot weather our way through tomorrow. Isolated thunderstorms are anticipated, particularly in the afternoon and early evening. An upper disturbance may prolong the threat of convection into early tomorrow morning. Most of the area should see LALs of 2 or less, but some 3s coming with another round of overnight convection late Saturday night around the Central Mountains. These storms will be capable of producing strong outflow winds and rapidly changing wind directions. We continue to see widespread Haines indices of 5 with some areas at 6. An upper trough will influence convection on Monday/Monday night as moisture from the Southwest Monsoon is drawn into the area. The trough will also influence surface wind gusts, which may peak around 25 to 30 mph mainly north and west of I-86/I- 15. Hinsberger && .HYDROLOGY...Warm temperatures across the region the past couple days and into the weekend will bring minor rises to the East Idaho river system. Teton River near Driggs near bankful, but not expected to reach Flood Stage so will hold off on any potential headlines for now. Will keep areal Flood Warning for portions of Blaine/Custer counties and Flood Advisory for Big Wood at Hailey intact with continued minor impacts due to higher elevation snow melt. DMH && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Pocatello ID 348 PM MDT THU JUL 6 2017 IDZ022-023-062230- Caribou Highlands ID-South Central Highlands ID- 348 PM MDT THU JUL 6 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN ONEIDA AND SOUTH CENTRAL BANNOCK COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM MDT... At 347 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 11 miles southwest of Virginia to 10 miles southeast of Holbrook Summit. Movement was southeast at 10 mph. Dime size hail and winds in excess of 45 mph will be possible with these storms. Locations impacted include... Malad, Pleasantview, Samaria, Malad Pass and Daniels Reservoir. LAT...LON 4240 11213 4203 11229 4203 11260 4245 11247 TIME...MOT...LOC 2147Z 307DEG 10KT 4241 11237 4206 11251 Hedges
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
355 PM MDT THU JUL 6 2017
IDZ022-062300-
South Central Highlands ID-
355 PM MDT THU JUL 6 2017
...Strong thunderstorm over southwest Cassia county moving towards
Murtaugh through 500 PM MDT...
At 352 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 16
miles west of Oakley Reservoir, moving north at 15 mph.
Half inch hail, heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible
with this storm as it moves north toward Murtaugh through 500 PM MDT.
Locations impacted include...
Magic Mountain Ski Area and Bostetter Ranger Station.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 4233 11429 4242 11428 4242 11412 4237 11391
4199 11420 4199 11428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2152Z 199DEG 14KT 4210 11424
HustonSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Pocatello ID 448 PM MDT THU JUL 6 2017 IDZ023-062330- Caribou Highlands ID- 448 PM MDT THU JUL 6 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL CARIBOU AND EASTERN BANNOCK COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM MDT... At 448 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Lava Hot Springs. this storm was nearly stationary. Dime size hail and winds in excess of 45 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Bancroft. LAT...LON 4264 11196 4269 11202 4280 11193 4267 11180 TIME...MOT...LOC 2248Z 232DEG 1KT 4269 11196 Hedges
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning began a fire around 5 pm on July 6th. The fire was grass, juniper and sage and burned about 300 acres to the southwest of Oakley in the Trapper Creek area on the Sawtooth National Forest. There were four fire engines and crews, one helicopter, and air tankers working on the fire through the 7th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, July 2017
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: 716798.