Alert archive / Montana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 63, NWS Great Falls, MT

July 14, 2002Blaine County, Montana

NWS Great Falls, MT issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 14, 2002, 10:47 PM MDT for Blaine County, Montana. It was in force for 43 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Jul 14, 2002, 10:47 PM MDT (04:47 UTC)
Expired: Jul 14, 2002, 11:30 PM MDT
In force: 43 min
Issued by: NWS Great Falls, MT
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Blaine County, MT

The radar

The Glasgow radar (KGGW), 148 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:49 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.

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 14, 6:30 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr
Jul 14, 9:00 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Glasgow Intl Airport, MT (KGGW), launched 00:00Z, 4.8 hours before the alert went out and 149 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1819 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -163 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 3195 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 96 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 171 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

607 
WUUS55 KTFX 150447
SVRTFX
MTC005-150530-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1046 PM MDT SUN JUL 14 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN BLAINE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA

* UNTIL 1130 PM MDT

* AT 1043 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 16 MILES SOUTH OF TURNER...OR ABOUT 31 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF MALTA...MOVING NORTH AT 35 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...TURNER AT 1105 PM MDT.

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 MIDNIGHT.

LAT...LON 4862 10865 4859 10834 4871 10836 4882 10829
          4899 10827 4898 10856

What 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 14, 8:55 PM MDT, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 14, 8:55 PM MDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before

SOUTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
855 PM MDT SUN JUL 14 2002

.SHORT TERM...WILL UPDATE TO FRESHEN WORDING. WILL KEEP THIS SHORT
DUE TO ACTIVE CONVECTIVE NIGHT. UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND WEAK FRONTAL
PASSAGE COMBINING TO PRODUCE WIDE OUTBREAK OF THUNDERSTORMS. VERY
STRONG SURFACE WINDS WITH SOME HAIL BEING PRODUCED BY THESE STORMS.
EMANUEL

.EXTENDED...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS AGAIN SHOWING A LITTLE CONSISTENCY
BUT NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT HIGH CONFIDENCE. WILL NOT MAKE ANY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE CURRENT EXTENDED FORECAST. WEAK RIDGING
THURSDAY OVER THE CWA WITH ENOUGH SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT FOR ISOLATED
CONVECTION. ZONAL FLOW ALOFT PERSISTS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH
ISOLATED CONVECTION STILL A POSSIBILITY. AN UPPER TROF MOVES
ONSHORE OF THE WEST COAST SUNDAY WITH AN INCREASING BACKING FLOW
OVER THE CWA. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL
NORMS.

.CCF NUMBERS
GTF BB 060/092 055/092 053 03411
    BBBBB 088/053 087/053 088/053 090/053 090 23332222222
CTB BB 055/088 052/088 050 03211
    BBBBB 084/050 084/050 086/050 088/050 088 13322111122
HLN BB 062/094 057/092 056 03411
    BBBBB 090/054 087/054 088/054 090/054 090 33332222222
BZN BB 057/092 054/090 053 03422
    BBBBB 088/050 086/050 087/050 090/050 090 33332222222
WEY BB 047/086 043/085 042 03422
    BBBBB 083/042 083/042 084/042 086/042 086 33333333333
DLN BB 058/090 055/088 054 03422
    BBBBB 086/051 085/051 086/051 090/051 090 33332222222
HVR BB 062/094 058/092 056 03411
    BBBBB 089/055 086/055 088/055 091/055 091 13332211122
LWT BB 063/090 055/090 055 03421
    BBBBB 087/055 086/055 087/055 090/055 090 13332222222=

.TFX...RED FLAG WARNING FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR FIRE
       ZONES 112...114...115...116...117...118.
       SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WESTERN...SOUTHWEST...AND
       CENTRAL MONTANA.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 14, 8:47 PM MDT, 2 hours before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
847 PM MDT SUN JUL 14 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....EVENT  LOCATION..... ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS...........
           .....COUNTY LOCATION.....

0540 PM    HELENA                    MT   1.75 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK              SOME CAR WINDOWS BROKEN,
                                          TREES DOWN, ELECTRIC
                                          SERVICE DOWN

0540 PM    HELENA                    MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0540 PM    HELENA                    MT   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0545 PM    HELENA                    MT   0.50 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK              TREES, POWER LINES DOWN,
                                          STREET

0545 PM    HELENA                    MT   70 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0555 PM    EAST HELENA               MT   1 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0555 PM    2 W SILVER CITY           MT   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0555 PM    2 W SILVER CITY           MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0606 PM    TOWNSEND                  MT   0.25 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   BROADWATER

0606 PM    TOWNSEND                  MT   61 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   BROADWATER

0620 PM    3 SW GREAT FALLS          MT   0.25 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   CASCADE                        WIND GUST AT WEATHER
                                          STATION

0620 PM    3 SW GREAT FALLS          MT   66 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   CASCADE

0623 PM    5 S GREAT FALLS           MT   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   CASCADE                        REPORTED NATL WX EMPLOYEE

0623 PM    5 S GREAT FALLS           MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   CASCADE

0635 PM    TOWNSEND                  MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   BROADWATER                     TWO 100 YEAR OLD TREES
                                          DOWN, POWER LINES DOWN

0635 PM    WHITE SULPHUR SPGS        MT   0.25 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   MEAGHER                        TREE BRANCHES DOWN

0635 PM    WHITE SULPHUR SPGS        MT   75 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   MEAGHER

0700 PM    7 NE HIGHWOOD             MT   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   CHOUTEAU

0700 PM    7 NE HIGHWOOD             MT   45 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   CHOUTEAU

0710 PM    GREAT FALLS               MT   59 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   CASCADE                        DRY MICROBURST TEMP JUMPD
                                          TO

0725 PM    POWER                     MT   1 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   TETON                          0.50 INCH OF RAIN IN 30
                                          MINUTES

0725 PM    POWER                     MT   40 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   TETON

0758 PM    HOBSON                    MT   70 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   JUDITH  BASIN                  WIND SPEED ESTIMATD. VSBY
                                          NEAR

0801 PM    MOORE                     MT   70 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   FERGUS                         VSBY 1/4 DUST, TREE LIMBS
                                          DOWN

0801 PM    MOORE                     MT   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/02   FERGUS

0815 PM    WISDOM                    MT   1 INCH HAIL
07/15/02   BEAVERHEAD                     AT LEAST 1 INCH DIA HAIL
                                          SIZE

0835 PM    3 W HILGER                MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/15/02   FERGUS                         WILLOW TREE DOWN, BLOWING
                                          DUST REDUCG VSBY TO ZERO

0835 PM    3 W HILGER                MT   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/02   FERGUS

NNNN

Local storm report, Jul 14, 10:14 PM MDT, 33 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1014 PM MDT SUN JUL 14 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....EVENT  LOCATION..... ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS...........
           .....COUNTY LOCATION.....

0540 PM    HELENA                    MT   1.75 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK              SOME CAR WINDOWS BROKEN.

0540 PM    HELENA                    MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0545 PM    HELENA                    MT   0.50 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK              TREES, POWER LINES DOWN.

0545 PM    HELENA                    MT   70 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0555 PM    EAST HELENA               MT   1 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0555 PM    2 W SILVER CITY           MT   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0555 PM    2 W SILVER CITY           MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   LEWIS  AND  CLARK

0606 PM    TOWNSEND                  MT   0.25 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   BROADWATER

0606 PM    TOWNSEND                  MT   61 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   BROADWATER

0620 PM    3 SW GREAT FALLS          MT   0.25 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   CASCADE

0620 PM    3 SW GREAT FALLS          MT   66 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   CASCADE

0623 PM    5 S GREAT FALLS           MT   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   CASCADE                        REPORTED BY NWS EMPLOYEE

0623 PM    5 S GREAT FALLS           MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   CASCADE

0635 PM    TOWNSEND                  MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   BROADWATER                     TWO 100 YEAR OLD TREES
                                          DOWN, POWER LINES DOWN

0635 PM    WHITE SULPHUR SPGS        MT   0.25 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   MEAGHER                        TREE BRANCHES DOWN

0635 PM    WHITE SULPHUR SPGS        MT   75 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   MEAGHER

0700 PM    7 NE HIGHWOOD             MT   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   CHOUTEAU

0700 PM    7 NE HIGHWOOD             MT   45 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   CHOUTEAU

0710 PM    GREAT FALLS               MT   59 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   CASCADE                        DRY MICROBURST

0725 PM    POWER                     MT   1 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   TETON                          0.50 INCHES OF RAIN IN 30
                                          MINUTES

0756 PM    STANFORD                  MT   71 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   JUDITH  BASIN                  ONLY 0.06 INCH PRECIP

0758 PM    HOBSON                    MT   70 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   JUDITH  BASIN                  WIND SPEED ESTIMATED.

0801 PM    MOORE                     MT   70 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   FERGUS                         ESTIMATED

0801 PM    MOORE                     MT   WIND DAMAGE
07/14/02   FERGUS

0815 PM    WISDOM                    MT   1 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   BEAVERHEAD

0830 PM    FT BENTON                 MT   0.25 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   CHOUTEAU                       1.25 INCHES OF RAIN IN 20
                                          MINUTES

0830 PM    FT BENTON                 MT   50 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   CHOUTEAU

0820 PM    LEWISTOWN                 MT   WIND DAMAGE
07/14/02   FERGUS                         MANY TREE LIMBS DOWN.
                                          SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.

0835 PM    3 W HILGER                MT   70 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   FERGUS                         WATER TANK BLOWN
                                          OVER...TREE LIMBS DOWN

0900 PM    ROY                       MT   65 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   FERGUS

0903 PM    HAVRE                     MT   60 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   HILL                           HAVRE CITY-COUNTY AIRPORT
                                          ASOS

0904 PM    WISDOM                    MT   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/14/02   BEAVERHEAD

0910 PM    VALENTINE                 MT   64 MPH TSTM GUST
07/14/02   FERGUS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 14, 6:03 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Broadwater, Cascade, Lewis and Clark, Meagher	57 min
Jul 14, 6:13 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Cascade	47 min
Jul 14, 6:48 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Chouteau	57 min
Jul 14, 6:52 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Cascade, Meagher	38 min
Jul 14, 7:12 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Judith Basin	48 min
Jul 14, 7:36 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Chouteau, Teton	54 min
Jul 14, 7:48 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Beaverhead	57 min
Jul 14, 7:55 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Chouteau	35 min
Jul 14, 7:59 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Fergus, Judith Basin	61 min
Jul 14, 8:33 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Chouteau, Hill	57 min
Jul 14, 8:43 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Beaverhead	62 min
Jul 14, 8:58 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Blaine, Fergus	62 min
Jul 14, 9:56 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Blaine	49 min
Jul 14, 10:25 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Lewis and Clark	50 min
Jul 15, 3:08 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TFX	Broadwater	37 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Montana, 2002 Every 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.