In the evening hours on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Missoula Montana was hit with a severe storm producing high winds, heavy rain, and lightning. This storm goes on record as likely the strongest storm system to impact the Missoula metro area since 2018, producing hurricane force winds at times. If your building is located in Missoula it’s important to document the damages to your building and know what is covered under your insurance policy.
The National Weather service issued a series of alerts starting at around 8:30 pm for Missoula and the surrounding area, warning of a thunderstorm possible of producing heavy rains and strong winds. Winds as high as 109 mph were recorded at the Mount Sentinel weather station, equivalent to about a category 2 Hurricane. 81 mph gusts were recorded at the NWS in Missoula, resulting in widespread power outages, downed trees and damage to building envelopes. More than 12,000 people in Missoula remained without power on Thursday morning at 10:45 a.m. EST time, according to a map from poweroutage.us. Firsthand videos and posts showing the damage caused by the freak storm have begun to surface on social media.
Montana is no stranger to strong winds, however seeing hurricane force winds anywhere as far inland as this is unusual. Further, unlike most coastal regions where Hurricanes loom as an annual threat, adopted building codes in Montana often does not require construction practices to accommodate wind speeds of the magnitude observed in Missoula on July 24th.
While the full extent of the damage caused by this storm will become clearer in the coming days, this event undoubtedly had a significant impact on Missoula. Strong winds can have significant impacts on the envelopes of buildings. Some of the damage is self evident; broken windows, missing shingles or tiles, torn-off or displaced siding is typically noticeable and visible damage. However, in many instances the damage caused by wind is less evident in the immediate aftermath of a storm. Commercial roofing systems, and windows for example can sustain damage that does not manifest itself visibly right away, but still needs to be addressed. It is important to have your property thoroughly inspected after a severe wind event in order to prevent further damage and unnecessary repairs down the road.
Most homeowners’ insurance policies include coverage for damage caused by windstorms, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and other strong wind events. Commercial policies may have exclusions in the policy as it may be an added premium. Some policies may have specific deductibles for windstorm-related damage, and in certain areas prone to hurricanes or tornadoes, insurers might offer separate windstorm insurance or may require additional endorsements to provide full coverage.
Our Missoula Montana public adjusters are available to assist with a free insurance policy review so you can better understand your coverage and are also available to review property damages your property may have sustained.
