Severe thunderstorms expected for southeast Idaho
The month of July will see scattered thunderstorms throughout southeastern Idaho. Severe
thunderstorms,
hail, strong winds, and heavy rain are possible starting Friday morning, according to the National
Weather Service.
The stormy weather, which is expected to continue into next week, comes with the potential for
tornadoes
because of the strong cold front that's forecast to move through East Idaho, according to the
weather
service.
"Idaho typically sees five or six tornadoes a year on average, but there can be more," said weather
service meteorologist Jack Messick.
Recently, the state has been getting cold air from Canada meeting warm air from the Gulf of Mexico.
The
difference in temperatures provides ideal conditions for thunderstorms and even tornadoes, he said.
“It takes a severe thunderstorm to generate a tornado,” he said.
And the bigger the difference in temperature between the cold air and the warm air, the stronger the
tornado, Messick said.
The tornado that hit East Idaho recently is considered the weakest category at EF0. But that means
the
wind speeds are still 65 mph to 85 mph and that’s hurricane strength, Messick said. That can damage
trees, mobile homes and other structures. Colder temperatures are also expected.
“It’s very unusual this time of year,” he said.