POCATELLO — A tornado warning was issued on Tuesday by the National Weather Service in Pocatello — but did one ever touch down?

The warning in eastern Idaho lasted for one hour, from 2 to 3 p.m., and affected Jefferson, Butte, Bonneville and Bingham counties. The Idaho National Laboratory area was a concern. 

NWS meteorologist Kurt Buffalo told EastIdahoNews.com that the agency never received any confirmation of one that actually touched down. 

However, the radar data supported the development of a tornado, as well as what people who were close to the storm saw. 

“They were seeing what we call a ‘wall cloud’ … and then we also had some reports of possible funnel clouds developing,” Buffalo said. 

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A wall cloud can rotate, but not all do. Rotating wall clouds usually develop before strong or violent tornadoes, according to a glossary from NWS. 

“A funnel cloud is basically the start of a tornado. So it’s the part that is extending downward from the cloud, and it’s rotating, but it never extends downward far enough to actually come in contact with the ground,” Buffalo explained. 

So, what’s the difference between a tornado warning and a tornado watch?

Buffalo said a tornado warning is when they see indications either on radar or reports from people on the field that a tornado is imminent or likely to develop. 

“There’s a high threat. We are seeing enough that there is a high threat for a tornado to develop. A warning is when we are actually seeing a thunderstorm that is showing characteristics that could produce a tornado very soon,” he said. 

On Tuesday, several severe thunderstorm warnings were issued, producing mainly hail, some the size of about a quarter, and strong wind gusts of around 60 miles an hour. 

“When one is issued, just head indoors and take cover in an interior room,” Buffalo said. 

He added that Tuesday was the first tornado warning issued this year for the region. 

“We usually do issue on average, I’d say, two to four per year for eastern Idaho,” he said. 

As for tornado watches, they are typically issued a few hours ahead of time but are rare.

“That’s saying that conditions are favorable for that storm to develop to potentially produce tornados. It’s kind of a heads up,” he said. “We virtually never see tornado watches here.”

The last tornado touchdown in eastern Idaho was near Grace last year on June 23. It was in an open field, and there was no damage, Buffalo told EastIdahoNews.com.

The Idaho Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the would-be buyers that the Idaho Legislature blocked from purchasing the Idaho Transportation Department’s former Boise headquarters.

In a unanimous decision, the five Idaho Supreme Court justices dismissed the lawsuit, writing that the state did not sign a contract with the would-be buyers of the property. The buyers were the high-bidders for state surplus property, but did not have a legally enforceable contract, the Idaho Supreme Court found.

“Our decision is based solely on our conclusion that petitioners do not have a legally enforceable right to purchase the ITD campus and as a result, they do not have standing to file this action,” Idaho Supreme Court Justice Colleen D. Zahn wrote in the opinion.

In a written statement Tuesday, the would-be buyers expressed disappointment in the ruling. The buyers included Hawkins Companies, Pacific West Communities, INC. and FJ Management.

“We are shocked by the Idaho Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss this case, avoiding a decision to correct the unconstitutional legislative interference in our state’s budget process,” Hawkins Companies CEO Brian Huffaker said in a written statement. “We continue to believe any review of the unchecked actions of the Idaho Legislature would have found them to be illegal.”

“Despite months of opportunities for all three branches of state government to participate in fair business dealings, none have chosen to do so,” Huffaker added. “Those choices, along with the actions of the Idaho Legislature, send a clear message: Don’t do business with Idaho. All of us – citizens and businesses alike – should be concerned.”

 “We now hope the taxpayers hold legislators and state leaders accountable for lost revenue and opportunity stemming from their unprecedented interference with the free market,” Huffaker said.

The Idaho Supreme Court had originally scheduled oral arguments on the case Aug. 26, but Tuesday’s opinion dismissed the case and makes oral arguments unnecessary. 

The 45-acre property at the center of the case is the Idaho Transportation Department’s former Boise headquarters located at 3311 W. State St. in Boise. 

A series of events led to the lawsuit. 

• In January 2022, the building flooded and was contaminated with asbestos, according to court documents. 
• In August 2022, the Idaho Transportation Department’s board declared the property “surplus property,” paving the way for it to be put up for sale.
• In November 2023, state officials told the Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee that the state sold the State Street property to a joint venture including Hawkins Companies, Pacific West Communities and FJ Management for $51.7 million, the Sun previously reported. 
• On March 1, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved budget language blocking the sale of the property. That day, some legislators on the committee told the Sun the contract had not been signed and money had not yet changed hands. They said they felt it was more financially responsible to keep the property and refurbish it. 
• On April 25, the would-be buyers filed a lawsuit against the state asking the Idaho Supreme Court to throw out legislative budget language that blocked the state’s authority to sell the property, the Sun previously reported. 

The would-be buyers said they followed all of the state’s purchasing requirements, made the high bid in a competitive bidding process and felt they had a deal. But the state argued that it had discretion in concluding the sale and was not obligated to sign a contract with the high bidder or even complete the sale at all.

In the end, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that the would-be buyers did not have standing to file the challenge, and did not not look at whether or not the Idaho Legislature overstepped its authority to block the sale. 

“To be clear, our opinion today does not decide whether the legislature exceeded its

constitutional authority in passing the appropriations bills,” Zahn wrote in Tuesday’s opinion. “It also does not decide whether a party with standing would be entitled to the requested writs.”

Idaho Supreme Court ITD opinion

Idaho prosecutors have formally objected to University of Idaho students murder suspect Bryan Kohberger’s motion to change venue and have his trial moved out of Latah County, where the slayings took place.

The filing, signed by Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson and Ingrid Batey, a special assistant attorney general for the state, was made public Tuesday evening.

“Defendant has filed a motion to change venue, requesting that the trial in this matter be moved from Latah County—where the offenses took place—to Ada County, some 300 miles away,” they wrote. “To support his motion, he conducted a survey of prospective jurors in Latah County, Ada County, Canyon County, and Bannock County.” 

BRYAN KOHBERGER ASKS COURT FOR CHANGE OF VENUE AFTER DELAYS IN IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS TRIAL

The findings of that survey, they argued, have not justified a move.

“Far from demonstrating that a Latah County jury pool has been uniquely subjected to an ‘utterly corrupted’ environment, as Defendant argues in his brief, the data show that pervasive and wide-ranging coverage of this case throughout the entire State of Idaho has led to high case recognition among survey respondents across all four surveyed counties,” they continued.

Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)

Prosecutors also took issue with the defense survey of potential jurors, arguing it does not reflect “non-response bias” and that polled residents were not given an explanation for the survey.

“This Court must ask itself: would an individual who was asked for their opinion about an upcoming jury trial continue a survey if they had no opinions about any upcoming jury trials? And once the survey started, would a prudent, thoughtful, and conscientious person who is reluctant to pass judgment with limited information opine to a stranger whether they believe a criminally accused is guilty of murder,” prosecutors wrote.

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Kohberger’s lawyers have claimed that the suspected quadruple murderer cannot get a fair trial in Latah County due to “extensive, inflammatory pretrial publicity.”

Read the filing:

Why would the Court change venue to another county that has nearly the same media saturation as Latah County?

— Bill Thompson and Ingrid Batey

Their client is accused of sneaking into a house at 4 a.m. and ambushing four University of Idaho students, some of whom were sleeping.

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The massacre killed 21-year-olds Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, along with 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. All four suffered multiple wounds from a large knife, according to authorities.

Bryan Kohberger pictured after his extradition to Idaho. He is accused of killing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen. (Latah County Sheriff’s Office)

Kohberger, a 29-year-old Pennsylvania criminology Ph.D. student, was attending Washington State University in the neighboring town of Pullman, about 10 miles away across the state line.

Police arrested him at his parents’ house in the Pocono Mountains after he drove cross-country with his dad in the weeks following the murders.

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The University of Idaho is in Moscow, Idaho, the seat of Latah County.

Much of the case has been conducted behind closed doors, with numerous filings made under seal and a restrictive gag order.

Experts say the motion to have the trial moved is a common step in high-profile cases. Changes of venue are rare – but can happen.

Bryan Kohberger, right, was stopped by Indiana police Dec. 15, 2022, on a cross-country drive from Pullman, Washington, to his parents’ house in Pennsylvania, before he was identified as a suspect in the murder of four University of Idaho students. (Hancock County Police Department)

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The double murder trials of Idaho’s “cult mom” Lori Vallow and California’s Scott Peterson both moved out of the counties where the offenses took place.

The judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf at his arraignment in May. He could face the death penalty if convicted. The trial is expected to begin next year and could take up to 15 weeks.

The University of Idaho announced last week that it would dedicate a new installation to the victims at a ceremony on Aug. 21.

The Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial was designed by classmates from the school’s College of Art and Architecture and is meant to honor all students who have died while enrolled at the university. It includes a special sculpture for the four November 2022 victims.