Severe storms brought unusual weather to parts of Idaho during the first full weekend of summer, covering roads with hail, causing flooding, and creating dangerous travel conditions. Heavy rain, strong winds, and hundreds of lightning strikes affected several areas across the state, reported NYPost.
Video shared on social media showed streets covered with ice after torrential thunderstorms and hail
Josh Smith, the lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boise, said the hail was small, but there was a large amount of it.
According to the Idaho Statesman, the widespread storm damage across the Treasure Valley region, which includes parts of Ada and Canyon counties, was made worse by winds of more than 50 mph.
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Smith said that even National Weather Service employees in northwest Meridian reported seeing several inches of small hail on the ground.
He explained that the hail likely contributed to flooding in some neighborhoods because it melted quickly, and storm drains were unable to handle the water along with more than an inch of rainfall.
Lightning activity was also intense during the storm. Owyhee County, about 150 miles south of Boise near the Nevada border, recorded 553 lightning strikes.
Ada County recorded 100 lightning strikes in one day, making it the second-highest number ever recorded on a single day in June since 2000, according to Smith and the National Weather Service.
Officials in Canyon County declared a countywide disaster emergency as crews responded to storm damage. Employees from the Ada County Highway District worked overnight to clear flooded roads and deal with other hazards.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning on Saturday for parts of eastern Idaho. Areas above 6,500 feet were expected to receive up to 8 inches of snow.
The weather advisory warned people to expect cold and wet backcountry conditions with a higher risk of hypothermia for those who were not properly dressed. It also warned that wet snow could bring down trees and block access to forest roads.
