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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tornado spotted near Coulee City

Violent thunderstorms that moved across Central and Eastern Washington triggered a tornado Friday afternoon.

National Weather Service forecasters said an image of the storm taken near Coulee City clearly showed the tornado.

“There is no question,” said John Livingston, meteorologist in charge at the weather service office near Airway Heights.

Also, weather service forecasters were assessing images of what appeared to be a funnel cloud in northwest Spokane, Livingston said.

Large hail fell in Spokane about 3:40 p.m., accompanied by wind and rain. The city was on the southern edge of a line of thunderstorms that continued moving to the northeast.

The weather service received a report of 1-inch hail at Trent and Mission avenues near Spokane Community College.

Water backed up on Interstate 90 and other roads, including the intersection of Trent and Hamilton Street. Traffic on I-90 in Spokane Valley slowed to about 20 mph, according to one driver. Visibility was poor.

The heart of the storm passed to the north of the city, blew down trees and caused cut power to about 2,500 customers, according to Avista Utilities. Vera Water and Power also reported downed trees and power lines in Spokane Valley.

Stevens County Fire District 1 reported on social media that a mudslide was covering part of state Highway 291 just north of the Little Spokane River bridge and that crews were responding to two small brush fires started by lightning strikes.

The weather service warned the public to take cover during the storm.

Earlier in the day, the weather service issued a series of flood advisories for heavy rain from the storms.

Forecasters said they were concerned the rain could cause mudslides on slopes that were burned last summer.

Flood advisories were posted for Hunters, Cedonia and parts of Okanogan, Ferry and Stevens counties.

Watch video of the tornado on Facebook.