Lightning

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a winter weather advisory for snow above 6,000 feet, from 6:00 a.m. until midnight Wednesday, September 18.

Numerous spectacular lightning strikes in the South Hills area of Missoula were reported on Thursday evening, as a strong storm cell swept through the area, bringing with it strong, gusty winds and soaking rains in some locations.

Firefighters are keeping a wary on on the sky as a red flag warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for the area near where the Lolo Creek Complex has already burned over 9,000 acres since Sunday.

A massive line of thunderstorms ripped through eastern Idaho and west-central Montana Friday night, producing lightning strikes and sustained high winds that snapped trees and knocked out power to thousands in the area for several hours.

The Gold Pan Fire Complex currently burning in wilderness areas about 35 miles southwest of Darby was very active on Tuesday, growing by almost 2,000 acres to over 13,000 acres.

A severe lightning storm turned off the lights for approximately 2,000 Montana residents at around 3:00 p.m. May 22.

Weather experts have been advising folks in the Missoula area that a serious combination of rain, thunderstorms, strong winds and hail are headed our way, however, forecaster Michelle Mead with the National Weather Service Office in Missoula says the main force of the storm is missing Missoula.