Storm punches Missoula with high winds and lightning; thousands left without power amid toppled trees and downed power lines

MISSOULA – Residents were asked to stay home if possible Thursday as city and county officials began addressing widespread damage from a catastrophic storm Wednesday evening in Missoula that packed 109 mph wind gusts.

Tens of thousands of people in western Montana remained without power Thursday morning. Broken and uprooted trees along with wires from snapped power poles littered city streets and the campus of the University of Montana. Residents were asked to refrain from watering their lawns and the city’s water pumps were forced to run on backup generators.

Several grocery stores were unable to sell perishable goods because their refrigerators were not functioning.

The city and the county were in the “assessment phase” of damages and needs for response, according to Nick Holloway, the deputy Disaster and Emergency Service coordinator for Missoula County.

Holloway said the city and county have prioritized restoring power to the region while identifying areas where people can dump debris from the storm.

The Red Cross has taken over the Missoula County Elections Center at 140 North Russell St. for residents who need to charge their personal devices. It will also provide air conditioning and showers.

The storm hit Missoula at about 9 p.m., created 80-mph wind gusts at the Missoula International Airport and caused widespread damage to western Montana. A weather station on Mount Sentinel, home of the famed “M” trail that defines the eastern boundary of the college campus, recorded a 109-mph gust.

Holloway said the airport and Missoula’s hospitals appear to be in OK condition.

Missoula’s Airport Authority said all services have been restored, but officials advise travelers to get to the airport at least two hours before boarding and to check with airlines for flight status.

Other infrastructure, such as streetlights, remained offline as NorthWestern Energy works to restore power.

NorthWestern said it had restored electricity to more than 20,000 customers in the Missoula, St. Regis and Bitterroot Valley areas.

The utility company’s outage map continued to show thousands of customers without power Thursday evening. Missoula Electric Cooperative also reported 14,000 customers people without power as of 9:15 a.m. Thursday.

NWE also cautioned about potential gas pipeline leaks, which could rupture with the uprooting of larger trees. Missoula’s Police Department said residents should stay away from any downed powerlines and report any broken or damaged wires.

Missoula’s Police Department, the City’s Communication Director and Holloway all asked residents to stay home if possible.

Chainsaw crews worked across the city to clear large trees that have fallen.

Much of the University of Montana campus remained without power Thursday.

“While campus will open today on schedule, we encourage all UM employees to work with their managers this morning about working in a posture that is flexible,” Bodnar said in the release. “For those of you who can work remotely today, please do so and coordinate with your supervisor.”

In Lolo, Missoula County Public Works is asking resident to conserve water, as the water and sewer system is currently operating on backup generators.

At the intersection of Blue Mountain Road and U.S. Highway 93, a power line crashed across the Bitterroot River, according to Missoula County Sheriff’s Office.

“At this time we do not have any reported injuries or fatalities related to the storm last night within the city,” said Whitney Bennett, a police spokesperson.