Alert archive / Montana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 46, NWS Great Falls, MT
NWS Great Falls, MT issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 8, 2002, 5:02 PM MDT for Fergus County, Montana. It was in force for 43 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 8, 2002, 5:02 PM MDT (23:02 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 8, 2002, 5:45 PM MDT
- In force
- 43 min
- Issued by
- NWS Great Falls, MT
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Fergus County, MT
The radar
The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 178 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:01 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 5:40 PM MDT | Hail 0.75 | Roy, MT | A severe thunderstorm produced 0.75 inch hail at Roy 30E. |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 1:00 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Jul 8, 4:45 PM MDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 12:00Z, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 119 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 46 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -508 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1241 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 55 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 109 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
043
WUUS55 KTFX 082302
SVRTFX
MTC027-082345-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
500 PM MDT MON JUL 8 2002
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
NORTHEASTERN FERGUS COUNTY IN CENTRAL MONTANA
* UNTIL 545 PM MDT
* AT 500 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF ROY...OR ABOUT 27 MILES
NORTHEAST OF LEWISTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
ROY AT 510 PM MDT
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM MDT MONDAY EVENING
FOR NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA.
REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN GREAT FALLS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM MDT MONDAY
EVENING FOR NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA.
LAT...LON 4748 10923 4725 10921 4737 10841 4759 10861
4767 10894 4778 10917 4774 10933What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 8, 3:00 PM MDT, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 8, 3:00 PM MDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
SOUTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
300 PM MDT MON JUL 8 2002
.SHORT TERM...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 7 PM. VIGOROUS
SHORT WAVE TO SWING THROUGH KGTF CWFA THIS EVENING WITH GOOD
MOIST EAST FLOW FOR SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL. THESE STORMS
MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS MUCH
OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND THE EAST PART BY LATER THIS EVENING. LIFTED
INDECIES WERE IN THE -8 TO -10 RANGE LATE THIS MORNING AS
PER IR IMAGERY. SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN SASK
BY TUE...AS UPPER MAIN RIDGE OVER SW CONUS BUILDS INTO WESTERN
MONTANA...LEAVING AREA UNDER A DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT.
HOWEVER...WEAK DYNAMICS OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA TUESDAY FOR
PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES.
MEANWHILE...SURFACE HIGH OVER PACIFIC NORTHWEST COMBINED
WITH SURFACE LOW OVER SOUTHERN CANADA FOR SOUTHWEST TO WEST
WINDS TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY...THEN DIMINISH DURING THE
AFTERNOON AS SURFACE HIGH MOVES INTO CENTRAL MONTANA.
TEMPERATURES WARM NICELY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS STRONG
UPPER RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD NORTH INTO SOUTHERN CANADA.
WILLIAMSON DC
.EXTENDED...
MODELS CONTINUE MEAN RIDGE OVER WESTERN US. COLD FRONT TO MOVE
THROUGH LATE IN WEEKEND WHICH WILL BRING COOLER CONDITIONS.
SOUTHWEST FLOW BECOMES MORE WESTERLY AS SHORT WAVES MOVE THROUGH
FLOW. THIS WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY AND
MONDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL TOO...MORE NEAR SEASONAL AVERAGES IN
THE LOWER TO MID 80S.
.CCF NUMBERS
GTF UU 054/084 050/092 052 20300
UUUBB 094/054 092/053 092/053 088/053 085 00000000122
CTB UU 050/082 047/086 052 20200
UUUBB 090/051 088/050 088/050 085/050 081 00000000122
HLN BB 053/087 050/094 056 20200
BUUBB 095/055 095/054 092/054 087/054 085 00000000122
BZN BB 048/084 046/090 050 20100
BUUBB 092/051 092/050 090/050 088/050 088 00000000011
WEY BB 040/078 038/082 043 20100
BUUBB 084/042 084/042 082/041 079/041 077 00000000011
DLN BB 048/085 046/088 050 20100
BUUBB 092/052 092/051 092/051 088/051 088 00000000011
HVR BU 058/085 052/090 056 20510
UUUBB 095/055 095/054 092/060 088/057 086 00000000122
LWT BB 052/082 050/087 052 20610
BUUBB 092/055 092/056 089/055 089/055 088 00000000122
.TFX...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 7 PM FOR CENTRAL AND PARTS
OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA.In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 4:51 PM MDT, 11 minutes before
MTZ011>014-044>046-048>050-053-054-090100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 451 PM MDT MON JUL 8 2002 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA... ...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 10 PM FOR BLAINE AND FERGUS COUNTIES... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER BLAINE AND FERGUS COUNTIES THIS EVENING WITH A POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES. ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA...THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS DIMINISHED.
Local storm report, Jul 8, 4:56 PM MDT, 6 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
456 PM MDT MON JUL 8 2002
TIME(MDT) .....EVENT LOCATION..... ST ...EVENT/REMARKS...........
.....COUNTY LOCATION.....
0320 PM TOWNSEND MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 BROADWATER
0330 PM NEIHART MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 CASCADE TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
0335 PM 6 SW STANFORD MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0335 PM 6 SW STANFORD MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0350 PM STANFORD MT 2.50 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0355 PM NEIHART MT TORNADO
07/08/02 CASCADE NEIHART FIRE CHIEF REPORTED
SHEARING OF TREES FOR
APPROX 1/4 MILE NORTH END
OF TOWN.
0400 PM 3 E UTICA MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN HEAVY RAIN
0405 PM UTICA MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0415 PM HOBSON MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0425 PM 3 N MOORE MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 FERGUS 2 FUNNEL CLOUDS
0425 PM MOORE MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 FERGUS 2 FUNNEL CLOUDS SIGHTED
0425 PM HOBSON MT 1.75 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0443 PM FORESTGROVE MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 FERGUS
NNNNLocal storm report, Jul 8, 5:00 PM MDT, 2 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
500 PM MDT MON JUL 8 2002
TIME(MDT) .....EVENT LOCATION..... ST ...EVENT/REMARKS...........
.....COUNTY LOCATION.....
0320 PM TOWNSEND MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 BROADWATER
0330 PM NEIHART MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 CASCADE TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
0335 PM 6 SW STANFORD MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0335 PM 6 SW STANFORD MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0350 PM STANFORD MT 2.50 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0355 PM NEIHART MT TORNADO
07/08/02 CASCADE NEIHART FIRE CHIEF REPORTED
SHEARING OF TREES FOR
APPROX 1/4 MILE NORTH END
OF TOWN.
0400 PM 3 E UTICA MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN HEAVY RAIN
0405 PM UTICA MT 1 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0415 PM HOBSON MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0425 PM 3 N MOORE MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 FERGUS 2 FUNNEL CLOUDS
0425 PM MOORE MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 FERGUS 2 FUNNEL CLOUDS SIGHTED
0425 PM HOBSON MT 1.75 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 JUDITH BASIN
0440 PM BROOKS MT TORNADO
07/08/02 FERGUS
0440 PM BROOKS MT 1.25 INCH HAIL
07/08/02 FERGUS
0443 PM FORESTGROVE MT FUNNEL CLOUD
07/08/02 FERGUS
NNNNThe office that day
Everything else NWS Great Falls, MT issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 12:21 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Pondera, Teton | 39 min |
| Jul 8, 2:26 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Meagher | 64 min |
| Jul 8, 3:15 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Judith Basin | 60 min |
| Jul 8, 3:27 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | TFX | Judith Basin | 33 min |
| Jul 8, 3:41 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Chouteau, Hill | 34 min |
| Jul 8, 3:55 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | TFX | Fergus | 65 min |
| Jul 8, 3:58 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | TFX | Judith Basin | 47 min |
| Jul 8, 4:52 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | TFX | Blaine | 53 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Montana, 2002Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.