Storm downs trees, damages homes, cuts power in Missoula

(Missoula Current) A powerful storm raked Missoula and outlying areas late Wednesday night, downing trees and knocking out power across large areas of the city.

The National Weather Service office in Missoula several days ago cautioned that storms would be possible on Wednesday. That prediction came true in big way.

Days of triple-digit temperatures and an incoming front set the stage for Wednesday night’s thunderstorm. NOAA recorded winds as high as 109 miles per hour atop Mount Sentinel.

In the valley, stiff and gusting winds tore down trees, damaged homes and cut power to thousands of residents. Some neighborhoods were littered with storm debris. Without power, signals hung dark and traffic ground to a near halt on busy roadways.

City trucks were out early Thursday clearing roads and the Missoula Police Department is asking motorists to stay home.

“Wind speeds of 81 mph were recorded at (Missoula) airport, where our office is located,” weather officials said. “We’ve received numerous reports of downed powerlines, downed trees, power outages, and damage to homes and property.”

Granite County assisted both Missoula and Ravalli counties in handling a flood of phone calls regarding fires and damage. The damage also forced many Missoula County offices to close on Thursday, including the sheriff’s department.

“Due to power outages and multiple safety hazards across the county including downed trees, debris in roadways, and downed power lines, our administrative offices … will be closed,” the sheriff’s office stated.

County officials said their offices would also be closed on Thursday “due to power outages and other issues in wake of last night’s storm.”

Due to the recent storm, Missoula County is experiencing multiple safety hazards, including downed trees, debris in roadways, and downed power lines. We urge everyone to exercise caution while driving, biking, and walking. We request essential travel only due to the multiple safety hazards. Reducing traffic volume on the roadways will allow power crews to address these issues more efficiently and clear the roadways.

Be on the lookout for downed trees and debris on roadways and avoid any areas that appear unsafe. Stay clear of downed power lines and report any sightings to the authorities immediately. Many areas are experiencing power outages, and our crews, along with Northwestern Energy and the Missoula City Streets Department, are working diligently to restore services as quickly as possible.

Some streetlights in town are not functioning due to power outages. Treat intersections with non-working signals as four-way stops, approach intersections with flashing yellow lights slowly and with caution and treat intersections with flashing red lights as stop signs, proceeding with caution after stopping.

We want to reassure the public that although we are experiencing some computer issues, our officers are out in the field responding to calls for service as normal, and emergency services (law enforcement) are operating as usual.

– Missoula County