Alert archive / Montana / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Great Falls, MT

June 21, 1993Pondera County, Toole County, Montana

NWS Great Falls, MT issued this tornado warning at Jun 21, 1993, 5:30 PM MDT for Pondera County, Toole County, Montana. It was in force for 30 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 21, 1993, 5:30 PM MDT (23:30 UTC)
Expired
Jun 21, 1993, 6:00 PM MDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Great Falls, MT
Area
Whole counties

Counties Pondera County, MT, Toole County, MT

The nearest sounding before it

Great Falls, MT (KGTF), launched 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 118 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Great Falls, MT at 12:00Z on 1993-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 205 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Great Falls, MT at 12:00Z on 1993-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 79 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
205 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-260 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2366 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
79 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
98 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KGTF 212331
TORGTF
MTC073-101-220030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
530 PM MDT MON JUN 21 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  630 PM MDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA
 
   ...NORTHEASTERN PONDERA COUNTY...SOUTHERN TOOLE COUNTY
 
A SEVERE WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO IN SHELBY.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
 
 
&

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:29 PM MDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
MTZALL-212330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
326 PM MDT MON JUN 21 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WESTERN MONTANA UNTIL 8 PM MDT..
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL MONTANA UNTIL 10 PM MDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL MONTANA ALONG
AND WEST OF A GLASGOW-MILES CITY LINE UNTIL 10 PM MDT. A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN MONTANA UNTIL 8 PM MDT.

RADAR REPORTS AND LIGHTNING DETECTION CHARTS INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
RAPIDLY DEVELOPING OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL MONTANA. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS...UP TO 50 MPH NEAR DARBY.
WEATHER SPOTTERS IN POWELL COUNTY REPORTED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH AND
RAIN COMING DOWN IN BUCKETS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER. SO FAR...WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY
REPORTS OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION...OR THE WEATHER RADIO
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:38 PM MDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
MTZ005-220130-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAVRE MT
330 PM MDT WED JUN 22 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA
UNTIL 10 PM...

LATEST LIGHTNING AND RADAR REPORTS INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPIING
FROM RED LODGE TO MISSOULA. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED
NEAR CUT BANK

THESE STORMS ARE LIKELY TO SPREAD ACROSS LIBERTY...HILL AND BLAINE
COUNTY LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING...ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN.

IF A THREATENING STORM IS OBSERVED...SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. LISTEN
TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION...OR THE WEATHER RADIO FOR THE
LATEST INFORMATION. NORTHERN HILL COUNTIES SHOULD BEWARE OF THIS

KLUNDER
OTHER STORMS ARE LIKELY TO FORM IN NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA THIS
EVENING. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS...HEAVY SHOWERS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE POSSIBLE.
SIMONSEN
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:56 PM MDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
MTZ005-220130-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT        COR
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAVRE MT
330 PM MDT WED JUN 22 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA
UNTIL 10 PM...

LATEST LIGHTNING AND RADAR REPORTS INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPIING
FROM RED LODGE TO MISSOULA. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED
NEAR CUT BANK

THESE STORMS ARE LIKELY TO SPREAD ACROSS LIBERTY...HILL AND BLAINE
COUNTY LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING...ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN.

IF A THREATENING STORM IS OBSERVED...SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. LISTEN
TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION...OR THE WEATHER RADIO FOR THE
LATEST INFORMATION. NORTHERN HILL COUNTIES SHOULD BEWARE OF THIS

KLUNDER
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 4:00 PM MDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
MTZ004-212300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HELENA MT
352 PM MDT MON JUN 21 1993

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE THOUGHOUT SOUTHWEST MONTANA...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHS IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM AND 10 PM...

AT 3:30 PM MDT AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING THROUGH
DEER LODGE AND POWELL COUNTIES INTO NORTHERN JEFFERSON AND LEWIS AND
CLARK COUNTIES. HEAVY RAINS WERE REPORTED IN THE LINCOLN AND MARYSVILLE
AREAS WITH WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH WERE REPORTEAT THE HELENA AIRPORT WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING ACROSS TO THE WEST AND NORTH OF THE HELENA VALLEY.

ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS DEVELOPING IN EASTERN IDAHO AND
MOVING TOWARDS THE WEST YELLOWSTONE AREA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS, LARGE
HAIL, AND DAMAGING WINDS.

&
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 4:02 PM MDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
MTZ004-212300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HELENA MT
352 PM MDT MON JUN 21 1993

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE THOUGHOUT SOUTHWEST MONTANA...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM AND 10 PM...

AT 3:30 PM MDT AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING THROUGH
DEER LODGE AND POWELL COUNTIES INTO NORTHERN JEFFERSON AND LEWIS AND
CLARK COUNTIES. HEAVY RAINS WERE REPORTED IN THE LINCOLN AND MARYSVILLE
AREAS WITH WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH WERE REPORTE
AT THE HELENA AIRPORT WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING ACROSS TO THE WEST AND NORTH OF THE HELENA VALLEY.

ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS DEVELOPING IN EASTERN IDAHO AND
MOVING TOWARDS THE WEST YELLOWSTONE AREA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS, LARGE
HAIL, AND DAMAGING WINDS.

&
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 4:38 PM MDT, 52 minutes before
MTZ005-060130-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAVRE MT
615 PM MDT WED AUG 5 1992

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA
UNTIL 9 PM...

RADAR REPORTS AND LIGHTNING STRIKE CHARTS SHOWED SCATTERED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IN BLAINE COUNTY...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

HEAVY SHOWERS AND GUSTY WINDS OCCURRED WITH THE STORMS...BUT NOTHING
SEVERE HAS BEEN REPORTED.

ELSEWHERE AT 610 PM...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST ACROSS
SOUTHERN ALBERTA...NOT FAR FROM THE U.S BORDER...NORTH OF LIBERTY
COUNTY. THIS STORM REPORTEDLY PRODUCED SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING 3
TORNADOES IN EXTREME SOUTHERN ALBERTA. PERSONS IN EXTREME NORTHERN
LIBERTY AND EXTREME NORTHERN HILL COUNTIES SHOULD BEWARE OF THIS
STORM.

OTHER STORMS ARE LIKELY TO FORM IN NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA THIS
EVENING. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS...HEAVY SHOWERS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE POSSIBLE.
SIMONSEN

The office that day

Everything else NWS Great Falls, MT issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 21, 4:28 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTFXTeton62 min
Jun 21, 4:39 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTFXPondera66 min
Jun 21, 4:54 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTFXCascade, Chouteau66 min
Jun 21, 5:12 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTFXTeton33 min
Jun 21, 5:15 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTFXPondera30 min
Jun 21, 5:50 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTFXLiberty, Toole55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Montana, 1993Every tornado warning in 1993Tornadoes in 1993

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.