Rare Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for parts of Northwest as storms, flash flooding target millions

An unusual weather pattern is evolving into a multiday weekend flood threat for the Northwest through the weekend. Parts of Idaho and Montana are at risk of severe thunderstorms that could produce large hail and even a weak tornado Friday.

THE SPC 5-POINT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK CATEGORY SCALE EXPLAINED

This system produced the first Severe Thunderstorm Watch in 600 days for parts of Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon Thursday.

Damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph were reported to NOAA in Eastern Oregon on Thursday and some 10,000 customers were still in the dark across the region early Friday, according to Poweroutage.us.

Video showed a large tree that had taken down power lines in a Spokane neighborhood Thursday evening.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to a house fire that officials said was initially reported as caused by a lightning strike.

"This region historically sees very few severe storms in May; in fact, parts of the inland Northwest have not seen a severe thunderstorm watch issued in over three years," the FOX Forecast Center said.

HOW HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE DRIVE THE WEATHER

As this system charges into Idaho and Montana on Friday, thunderstorms are expected to produce heavy rain, with localized pockets of 2 to 3 inches through Monday. This includes places near Yellowstone National Park.

ANOTHER GLOOMY, RAINY WEEKEND ON THE WAY FOR NEW ENGLAND TO ROUND OUT SPRING

A broad Level 1 out of 4 flash flood threat covers most of Montana through the weekend, as well as northern Wyoming.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, this one event could produce as much rain as this part of the Northern Plains usually receives across the entire month of May.

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