Rigby-area microburst fells historic trees, kills sheep and causes extensive damage

RIGBY — Hundreds of trees fell, astir a twelve vehicles were damaged, 20 sheep were killed, and thousands of Rocky Mountain Power customers mislaid energy successful a beardown microburst that deed Jefferson County astatine astir 5:30 p.m. Friday evening.

“We had a terrible thunderstorm that crossed complete nan Menan Buttes, Menan, Annis, nan metropolis of Rigby and connected retired toward Ririe,” Jefferson County Emergency Manager Rebecca Squires said. “We knowledgeable important harm successful nan shape of ample trees toppled and surgery off, trampolines and garbage cans, you know, thing that wasn’t anchored was removed from property. We had trees connected powerfulness lines, and wide powerfulness outages because of nan trees connected nan lines.”

The sheep that perished were seeking shelter nether a character erstwhile it toppled over.

Twenty sheep died aft a ample tree, which they were huddled underneath, fell connected apical of them. | Courtesy Kevin Walker

No casualties aliases injuries were reported during nan storm, though a female was wounded Saturday greeting erstwhile a character branch fell connected her caput during cleanup efforts, Squires said.

Crews worked passim nan nighttime to clear character debris from roadways arsenic Rocky Mountain Power labored to reconstruct energy to its customers. The Pocatello agency of nan National Weather Service reported that arsenic galore arsenic 10,000 customers were affected, including individuals and businesses successful Madison County.

Carter MacKay, a meteorologist for Jefferson County, reported, “We are expecting it to beryllium a consecutive statement upwind event. Again, location was nan imaginable signature connected radar that we were search astatine nan clip that would springiness immoderate grounds to immoderate tornadic circulation pinch that supercell arsenic it was moving complete that area. But we will beryllium sending a large wind study squad up location later coming to get immoderate much accrued assurance connected that.”

Wind gusts of 40 to 60 miles per hr were reported successful nan desert.

“Although we didn’t spot that upwind further eastbound wherever we saw astir of nan harm reported, we are expecting that we astatine slightest spot nan imaginable for what we for illustration to telephone a bedewed microburst successful that region,” MacKay said.

A microburst forms arsenic a thunderstorm develops erstwhile a “strong updraft suspends a batch of nan moisture pinch it, and past it each comes down astatine once,” MacKay explained. “… The halfway of nan large wind plummets to nan ground. As it hits nan crushed and spreads retired successful each directions, nan location of wherever nan microburst first hits nan crushed experiences nan highest upwind and top damage.”

The National Weather Service received reports of “half an inch to six-tenths of an inch of rainfall falling successful little than 30 minutes.”

Squires said that nan winds came from nan north, whereas astir beardown winds travel from nan south, and nan trees weren’t “hardened” to nan weather.

Numerous historical trees toppled passim Jefferson County. | Courtesy Carl Anderson

Jefferson County has not declared a disaster for nan storm.

“There are programs retired location that tin thief homes, businesses and agriculture — … folks for illustration that who are experiencing catastrophic loss,” Squires said, but first nan region must cod nan information connected full damages to suffice for those programs.

Residents who knowledgeable harm to homes, sheds, greenhouses aliases different spot are encouraged to capable retired this speedy survey to study damages.

Additionally, affected spot owners impacted by nan large wind should interaction nan Jefferson County assessor’s agency arsenic soon arsenic possible.

“If somebody’s location aliases spot was damaged, they tin really entreaty nan worth of that spot pinch nan assessor’s agency to person that spot worth reduced truthful that their spot taxes are less,” Squires said.

Appeals must beryllium submitted by nan 4th Monday successful June to beryllium considered.

The terrible thunderstorm is photographed adjacent 4200 East connected 540 North successful nan Rigby area. | Courtesy Lisa Mason via NWS