Special weather statement warns of wind and hail in Kootenai County
40 mph gusts and quarter-inch hail threatened Kootenai County through 7:30 p.m., with storms moving north into the Coeur d’Alene area.
Wind and hail threatened Kootenai County’s evening commute, with the National Weather Service issuing a special weather statement for the Coeur d’Alene area that warned of winds around 40 mph and hail up to 0.75 inch through 7:30 p.m. PDT.
National Weather Service Spokane said scattered severe thunderstorms were expected across the Inland Northwest on Thursday, May 28, with the most active weather between 2 p.m. and midnight. The office said storms could produce damaging outflow winds, large hail and heavy downpours, and that they would generally track from south to north, reaching the northernmost areas between 7 p.m. and midnight. That timing put the strongest weather squarely into the evening hours for Kootenai County, when drivers, boaters and anyone with outdoor plans were still trying to finish the day.
The broader setup was unusually warm as well. Spokane forecasters said temperatures were climbing into the upper 80s and mid 90s, creating moderate HeatRisk in parts of the Idaho Panhandle, including Kootenai County. That combination of heat and unstable air helped fuel the thunderstorm threat across northern Idaho and eastern Washington.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remained in effect for the Idaho Panhandle until midnight PDT, covering Kootenai, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce and Shoshone counties. Later in the evening, forecasters issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southeastern Bonner County and northwestern Shoshone County after radar showed a strong storm near Clark Fork with wind gusts over 40 mph and penny-size hail. That warning said hail damage to vehicles was expected and that winds could damage roofs, siding and trees.
For residents in Kootenai County, the practical message was straightforward: move vehicles under cover if possible, secure patio furniture, and clear boats, docks and loose gear before storms arrived. The local forecast for Coeur d’Alene also showed a 70% chance of precipitation and gusts up to 45 mph, underscoring that the storm risk was not isolated to one corridor but part of a larger severe-weather pattern moving through the region.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
