Power Outage in Sandpoint, ID

A member of the public reported downed trees on power lines across Elmira Road due to thunderstorm winds. Time of report was estimated based on radar.

Widespread wind damage was observed across the cities of Priest Lake, Sandpoint, Ponderay, Kootenai, Oden, and Lake Pend Oreille. Hundreds of trees ranging from eight to twenty two inches in diameter were snapped or downed. Some trees landed on homes, others took out miles of power lines and poles. At one point after the storm, all of Sandpoint, Idaho was without power. A spotter in Clark Fork stated fifteen foot trees were almost touching the ground while sixty foot trees were bending at 45 degree angles. The most widespread damage was along the Highway 200 corridor between Hope and Sandpoint. The Elk Golf Course in this corridor lost thirteen trees. The Sandpoint AWOS, also in this area, measured sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts to 56 mph before the power outage. A roof of a storage shed was blown off in downtown Sandpoint. Numerous boats and docks on Lake Pend Oreille were damaged from waves that ranged between three to six feet. Significant tree damage was observed on the south side of the lake in Bottle Bay between the 3800th and 5016th blocks. All trees were leaning to the east southeast. Residents interviewed during a storm survey mentioned the winds lasted roughly 40 minutes.

Widespread wind damage was observed across the cities of Priest Lake, Sandpoint, Ponderay, Kootenai, Oden, and Lake Pend Oreille. Hundreds of trees ranging from eight to twenty two inches in diameter were snapped or downed. Some trees landed on homes, others took out miles of power lines and poles. At one point after the storm, all of Sandpoint, Idaho was without power. A spotter in Clark Fork stated fifteen foot trees were almost touching the ground while sixty foot trees were bending at 45 degree angles. The most widespread damage was along the Highway 200 corridor between Hope and Sandpoint. The Elk Golf Course in this corridor lost thirteen trees. The Sandpoint AWOS, also in this area, measured sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts to 56 mph before the power outage. A roof of a storage shed was blown off in downtown Sandpoint. Numerous boats and docks on Lake Pend Oreille were damaged from waves that ranged between three to six feet. Significant tree damage was observed on the south side of the lake in Bottle Bay between the 3800th and 5016th blocks. All trees were leaning to the east southeast. Residents interviewed during a storm survey mentioned the winds lasted roughly 40 minutes.

Damaging winds led to widespread tree damage across central Bonner County. A navy bouy located on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille clocked a wind gust of 75 mph. Multiple trees were knocked down across the city of Sandpoint and smaller communities surrounding Lake Pend Oreille. Many roads were closed until trees and power lines were removed including Highway 95 near the intersection of McArthur Street. Power was out for the entire city of Sandpoint and majority of Bonner County directly following the storm. Several trees fell on houses. Southern exposed bays on Lake Pend Oreille experienced the worst damage. Over thirty trees were knocked down between Gamlin Lake and Garfield Bay. Two people were injured by a falling tree at Green Bay. Further north on the lake, roughly twenty trees were downed in Shaw Bay. On a ridge, known as Hawkins Point, over fifty trees were snapped four feet from the ground. The winds created three to six foot waves in sections of the lake resulting in dock and boat damage. Broadcast media also reported numerous trees downed at the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch located eleven miles northeast of Ponderay.

Damaging winds led to widespread tree damage across central Bonner County. A navy bouy located on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille clocked a wind gust of 75 mph. Multiple trees were knocked down across the city of Sandpoint and smaller communities surrounding Lake Pend Oreille. Many roads were closed until trees and power lines were removed including Highway 95 near the intersection of McArthur Street. Power was out for the entire city of Sandpoint and majority of Bonner County directly following the storm. Several trees fell on houses. Southern exposed bays on Lake Pend Oreille experienced the worst damage. Over thirty trees were knocked down between Gamlin Lake and Garfield Bay. Two people were injured by a falling tree at Green Bay. Further north on the lake, roughly twenty trees were downed in Shaw Bay. On a ridge, known as Hawkins Point, over fifty trees were snapped four feet from the ground. The winds created three to six foot waves in sections of the lake resulting in dock and boat damage. Broadcast media also reported numerous trees downed at the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch located eleven miles northeast of Ponderay.

Minor spring flooding occurred along the Pend Oreille River, Clark Fork River, and Lake Pend Oreille. Johnson Creek Road on the south side of the Clark Fork River had some sloughing. In central and western areas of the county, Priest River inundated portions of LeClerc Road just east of Oldtown as well as Dufort Road, just east of Priest Lake. Numerous docks and lakeside yards were flooded by high water levels along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. In Sandpoint, ID the basement of the Old Power House was flooded.

Minor spring flooding occurred along the Pend Oreille River, Clark Fork River, and Lake Pend Oreille. Johnson Creek Road on the south side of the Clark Fork River had some sloughing. In central and western areas of the county, Priest River inundated portions of LeClerc Road just east of Oldtown as well as Dufort Road, just east of Priest Lake. Numerous docks and lakeside yards were flooded by high water levels along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. In Sandpoint, ID the basement of the Old Power House was flooded.

Minor spring flooding occurred along the Pend Oreille River, Clark Fork River, and Lake Pend Oreille. Johnson Creek Road on the south side of the Clark Fork River had some sloughing. In central and western areas of the county, Priest River inundated portions of LeClerc Road just east of Oldtown as well as Dufort Road, just east of Priest Lake. Numerous docks and lakeside yards were flooded by high water levels along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. In Sandpoint, ID the basement of the Old Power House was flooded.

Priest Lake Ranger Station reported numerous trees down along Idaho Highway 57. There was also a loss of power in the area.

Numerous powerlines were blown down and tree tops were snapped off. Trees were estimated to be 25-30 feet high and 2-2.5 inches in diameter. The top of one tree was thrown through the rooftop of an RV. The metal roof of a home was also lifted in the air.

A weak cold front passing through the Pacific Northwest brought mostly dry and windy��conditions across the Idaho Panhandle on June��24th. By mid-day, isolated��showers and thunderstorms moved into the northern��Idaho Panhandle. With afternoon��convection, there were numerous��strong thunderstorm cells forming in Bonner and Boundary counties. These thunderstorms brought gusty winds, brief heavy downpours, and produced isolated hail. There were reports of hail sizing from 0.25 to 1.5 inches in diameter. With the hail, some locations received an additional rainfall up to 1 inch that afternoon. The winds, with gusts up to 55 mph, resulted in trees down, power outages, and rough lake conditions, especially at Lake Pend Oreille and Priest Lake. Other locations within the Idaho Panhandle, only received a trace to 0.03 inch of rain. There were widespread winds with gusts reaching 25-40 mph.

A stationary trough of low pressure along the Pacific Northwest Coastline resulted in moist, unstable, southwesterly flow over the Inland Northwest. A shortwave embedded within the flow, triggered thunderstorms during the evening hours of August 25, 2013. Initially, the threat was focusing on isolated severe storms producing large hail. As the shortwave crossed into the region, a strong squall line crossed from Eastern Washington into northern sections of the Idaho Panhandle resulting in damaging winds and numerous downed trees and power lines.

A severe thunderstorm tracked from Priest Lake along Idaho Highway 57 south to just west of Priest River leaving behind a line of damaging winds, knocking down trees and power lines. Trees as tall as 100 feet were toppled by the winds, with trees falling on Idaho Highway 57. In Priest River alone in a span of three blocks, ten homes and at least two cars were damaged by downed trees. Multiple uprooted trees also damaged at least three homes on Kalispell Bay of Priest Lake. Hail also fell with this storm, with one inch hail reported four miles west-southwest of Coolin.