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Scattered thunderstorms on Thursday after heavy rain, damaging winds around Inland NW

The National Weather Service reported gusts between 30 to 40 mph in some areas of the Columbia Basin and Palouse on Wednesday.
Credit: Kevin Roylance
KREM viewer Kevin Roylance sent us this photo of the storm in Moses Lake.

Thunderstorms brought strong winds, lightning and hail to areas throughout the Inland Northwest on Wednesday. 

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was in effect for parts of eastern Washington and North Idaho until 8 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Thousands of residents throughout eastern Washington and North Idaho were without power on Wednesday. Power has since been restored to those customers as of Thursday morning. 

The National Weather Service reported gusts between 30 to 40 mph in some areas of the Columbia Basin and Palouse on Wednesday.

The strongest storms hit the Lewiston area, where there were multiple reports of tree and power line damage. Wind gusts there were estimated at 50 to 60 mph. 

On Thursday, strong thunderstorms moved into Deary, Kendrick and Helmer in Latah County, Idaho. The National Weather Service reported gusty winds as high as 35 mph in those areas. 

Storms also moved into Osburn, Wallace, Mullan and Lookout Pass, as well as other cities in Shoshone County at about 3 a.m. on Thursday. 

KREM 2's Evan Noorani says scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue on Thursday, with afternoon temperatures only warming up to the high 60s and low 70s.

The National Weather Service says storms in eastern Washington and North Idaho could create gusty winds, hail, close to ground lightning and local downpours in the late morning and afternoon hours on Thursday.

Thursday morning began with some fog concentrated over North Idaho and eastern Washington.

As a reminder: No place outside is safe during a thunderstorm. When you hear thunder, you should stop all activities and head indoors. Be sure to seek shelter in a building or hard-topped vehicle, and wait 30 minutes after the storm to resume any outdoor activities. 

Warm and dry weather moves back into the Inland Northwest beginning on Friday. Hoopfest weekend in Spokane should be calm and dry, with partly cloudy skies and high temperatures in the mid-70s and 80s. 

The National Weather Service Spokane's Doppler Radar site is currently offline due to scheduled upgrades and maintenance. While radar sites in Pendleton, Missoula, Portland, and Seattle will fill in some of the gaps, there is a noticeable blind-spot in northern Washington and north Idaho. 

KREM will use satellite data to track the storm, but share any of your own reports or pictures with us on Facebook, Twitter or via email at pics@krem.com.

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