Live updates: Wind tops 70 mph in Boise storm. Power outages down to 6,600

A powerful thunderstorm swept through the Boise area just before 4 p.m. Thursday, leaving power outages in its wake. Here are live updates from the storm, which has blown through and left behind sunny skies and calm conditions by 6 p.m.:

Winds reported at 72 mph as storm blows through quickly

5:30 p.m. update: Strong thunderstorm outflow winds hit the Treasure Valley, leaving in their path dust, damage, power outages and vegetation fires.

The short-lived but strong weather phenomenon occurred after a thunderstorm to the south over the Owyhee Mountains “collapsed and blew out strong winds,” Boise National Weather Service meteorologist David Groenert told the Idaho Statesman.

Before the storm, Boise temperatures got up to about 88 degrees. As the front moved in, cold air blew through, with wind speeds reaching a reported 72 miles per hour, Groenert said. The front brought a “pretty cold pocket,” Groenert added, with temperatures dropping to 67 degrees.

The NSW Boise office received reports of damage from the winds and smoke from vegetation fires. Groenert said there were no tornadoes caused by the weather as it had what are called “straight line winds.”

Groenert said the NWS doesn’t expect any additional bouts of strong wind like what occurred in Boise for the rest of the day. There could be showers and thunderstorms along the Foothills during the evening, he said.

“We’ve seen our event here in Boise, that pretty much cleared us out,” Groenert said.

Boise Fire responded to a number of calls for tree damage and/or downed power lines, Boise police spokesperson Haley Williams said. She reminded people to stay away from downed lines. A small grass fire on Chinden Boulevard was extinguished, she said. There was an unconfirmed report of an explosion on PulsePoint that may have been related to a power line or transformer, she said.

Power outages affect more than 20,000 customers initially

Update: By Friday morning, fewer than 100 customers were still without power,

7:15 p.m. update: Idaho Power had restored electricity to nearly 15,000 customers just a couple of hours after the storm passed, according to its outage map online, which showed roughly 6,600 still without power.

The utility initially was reporting outages affecting more than 21,000 customers across its service area on the map. The outages were mainly in Boise and Meridian due to the high winds, spokesperson Alexis Freeman told the Statesman in an email.

Several small outages, those affecting 100 or fewer customers, remained in Boise after 7 p.m. Many of those were on the Bench.

Freeman said crews were working to restore the outages, and an estimated restoration time may not be available until crews get onsite.

She encouraged customers to check Idaho Power’s outage map to find updated information.

Idaho Power also asked residents to report downed power lines to 911 or the company, and keep distance from them, as they could be energized and dangerous.

In Meridian, more than 5,200 customers lost power in the central area of the city, according to the outage map. Only four small outages remained as of 7 p.m.

The map also showed power outages in North Boise, part of downtown and East Boise affecting about 6,500 customers. That included 802 people on the Bench, 1,533 near the East End, more than 4,600 near the North and West ends and 1,533 off of East Warm Springs Avenue.

Nearly 2,300 customers in eastern Nampa lost power north of East Victory Road. The Nampa outage was later cleared.

Fire threatens structures near I-84

5:25 p.m. update: Brush fires near Interstate 84 in Payette County were threatening structures, the Payette County Sheriff’s Office reported in an alert shared with the media.

The fires were reported between mileposts 13 and 17 on I-84 and between Southeast 8th Avenue and Southeast 9th Avenue off Sand Hollow Road, according to the alert.

“There are reports of structures being threatened and possibly on fire,” the alert said. “… Due to high winds, the fires are rapidly growing and moving through the area. Residents are urged to remain alert, be aware of their surroundings, and be prepared to evacuate immediately if conditions worsen or evacuation orders are issued.”

Kuna fires extinguished but structure burns

Smoke poured out of two fires in Kuna on Thursday that were a result of the storm, said James Trumble, the Kuna Rural Fire District’s assistant chief. At Locust Grove and Meadow View roads, a fire started when a utility pole fell over, and the electrical line broke and sparked, Trumble said in a phone interview. Because of high winds, it traveled quickly, setting a shed, an abandoned home and a field on fire. “It put out a ton of smoke,” Trumble said. “(The fire) is fully contained and extinguished.” There were no injuries, and a dog found in the home is OK, Trumble said. Another fire, near Cloverdale and Kuna Mora roads, also was contained, said Kuna Fire Chief TJ Lawrence. The Bureau of Land Management is investigating the cause of that 388-area grass fire, Lawrence said.

Traffic lights go dark in Boise and Meridian

4:40 update: The Ada County Highway District shared on social media that several intersections were in dark or flash mode, and crews were working on repairs as power outages from the storm affected traffic signals in Boise and Meridian. There were several problems in downtown Boise, with traffic backed up more than usual along Front Street and in other places.

The agency advised drivers to treat dark intersections as a four-way stop, noting that the first vehicle to arrive has the right of way. ACHD also cautioned drivers to use caution and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Dark traffic signals may be reported to the Ada County Dispatch non-emergency line at 208-377-6790.

Power lines reported down

Lines were reported down at the following locations on PulsePoint:

North Locust Grove Road & East Dunwoody Court

North 25th Street & Jefferson Street

West Alpine Street

4709 W. Denton Street

West Overland Road and South Roosevelt Street

109 South Owyhee Street

8500 West Vincent Street

7701 West Ustick Road

4803 West Kootenai Street

Social media highlights

A Reddit user posted about downed trees and limbs on the Boise River Greenbelt.

Earlier reporting: A warning was issued

As winds pick up across southwest Idaho, the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Boise area.

Parts of Southwest Idaho, including Ada County, are expected to see “strong thunderstorms” with powerful wind gusts on Thursday, the weather service said.

Wind gusts up to 70 mph are possible, the weather service said in an X post.

“A couple tornadoes” are also possible, the federal agency said, along with “ping pong-sized hail” in some areas.

This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 4:30 PM.