Season can bring severe conditions
As mentioned in a previous column, one should be very careful during thunderstorm season in the Inland Northwest. From now until the early fall, we will likely see our share of severe weather.
The Cascade Mountains to the west and the Rockies to the east often protect our region from the elements needed to produce the extreme weather conditions of thunderstorm and tornado activity. The warmer and more humid waters from the Gulf of Mexico are necessary ingredients to help produce the severe weather conditions across much of the central U.S., the Southeast, the Mid-Atlantic states and occasionally the Northeast. Thanks to the Rocky Mountains, the Gulf of Mexico’s influence is limited across the Northwest.
One of the worst severe weather and tornado outbreaks ever seen in our region occurred on May 31, 1997, according to the National Weather Service. A record six tornadoes touched down in Washington on that day. The previous mark for an entire year for tornadoes was four in 1989. Before 1997 was over, 14 twisters were reported in the state.
The intensity of a tornado is measured by the Fujita scale. It examines the damage caused by the twister. An F0 or F1 tornado inflicts generally minor damage, but an F5, the most severe, causes widespread destruction.
On May 31, 1997, four F1 twisters hit Stevens and Spokane counties, with one F1 tornado striking Athol in North Idaho and an F0 spotted near Lewiston. Severe thunderstorms also produced hail up to 2 to 3 inches in diameter, heavy rainfall and wind gusts of more than 80 miles per hour. There were no deaths or injuries.
The deadliest tornado outbreak in Washington’s history happened on April 5, 1972. An F3 twister struck Vancouver, swept through a grocery store, bowling alley and a grade school. Another F3 tornado touched down west of Spokane with an F2 twister seen in rural Stevens County. There were six deaths, 300 injuries and $50 million in damage.
If one owns expensive electronic equipment, such as a plasma television or a computer, it’s a good idea to get a good power surge protector. I have learned the hard way to protect valuable equipment as thunderstorms have ruined my weather station, VCR and other electronic devices. My father’s computer monitor actually exploded during a thunderstorm.