Alert archive / Montana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 94, NWS Great Falls, MT
NWS Great Falls, MT issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 8, 2003, 11:32 PM MDT for Cascade County, Montana. It was in force for 28 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
- Aug 8, 2003, 11:32 PM MDT (05:32 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 9, 2003, 12:00 AM MDT
- In force
- 28 min
- Issued by
- NWS Great Falls, MT
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Cascade County, MT
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 nearest sounding before it
Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 00:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 60 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
- 190 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -162 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 3166 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 41 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -44 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 93 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- -0.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUUS55 KTFX 090532 SVRTFX MTC013-090600- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1132 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... CENTRAL CASCADE COUNTY IN CENTRAL MONTANA THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF GREAT FALLS * UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT * AT 1126 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER GREAT FALLS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. STRONG AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY FROM THIS STORM...BUT THERE WILL BE LITTLE RAIN. TAKE COVER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN GREAT FALLS. LAT...LON 4733 11164 4721 11145 4749 11087 4764 11137
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 Aug 8, 11:00 PM MDT, 32 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 11:00 PM MDT, 32 minutes before
SOUTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1100 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2003
.DISCUSSION...
TONIGHT...MUCH EXCITEMENT AROUND TFX CWA THIS EVENING WITH SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE AREA AND FUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTINGS HERE IN
GREAT FALLS. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND AT LEAST
SMALL HAIL WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
ZONES UNTIL JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT...THEN ACTIVITY SHOULD QUIET DOWN
TOWARD MORNING WITH GENERALLY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
MAIN FOCUS HAS BEEN WEATHER...SO WILL LEAVE OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES
AS IS FOR NOW. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR FERGUS COUNTY AND FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR PART OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO
EXPIRE AT 10 PM. COULSTON
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...DIURNAL CONVECTION DEVELOPS DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS EACH DAY. TEMPERATURES REMAIN WARM AND
WINDS LIGHT. MPJ
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...UPPER RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE OVER
CENTRAL ROCKIES THROUGH EXTENDED PERIOD. UPPER TROUGH OVER PACIFIC
NORTHWEST SENDS SEVERAL IMPULSES INTO RIDGE...FLATTENING RIDGE
SOMEWHAT AND LEAVING AREA UNDER SW FLOW ALOFT THROUGH FRIDAY. WEAK
DISTURBANCES MOVING THRU SW FLOW ALOFT WILL HELP KICK OFF AFTERNOON
AND EVENING CONVECTION...MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF SW MT. IF
PACIFIC TROUGH INCHES EASTWARD...THERE WILL BE A BETTER CHANCE FOR
ORGANIZED CONVECTION. BUT NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE OF THAT TO MAKE ANY
CHANGES TO THE FORECAST NOW. TEMPERATURES REMAIN AT OR ABOVE NORMAL
THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH COOLER TEMPS TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST.
.CCF NUMBERS
GTF BU 057/090 062/093 056 14622
UUUBU 092/060 088/058 088/054 078/055 085 1000000--00
CTB BU 053/086 054/089 052 14622
BUBBU 085/055 084/054 084/050 077/052 080 1000000--00
HLN UU 058/091 062/093 055 14322
UBUBB 092/058 086/056 086/051 078/053 086 2-----022--
BZN UU 050/089 053/090 056 14022
UBBBU 092/054 086/057 086/053 080/055 089 1-0-00022--
WEY UU 040/082 047/083 050 14022
BBBBU 083/051 076/051 076/049 077/052 083 22121111111
DLN UU 051/088 052/091 054 14011
BBBBB 089/053 083/052 083/047 088/053 087 111122122--
HVR BU 060/093 064/093 056 14722
BUUBU 094/063 091/062 091/059 082/057 084 00000000000
LWT BU 059/087 059/090 058 14122
UUUUU 091/061 087/060 087/057 082/054 084 00000001100
.TFX...NONE.Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 8, 1:15 PM MDT, 10 hours 17 minutes before
MTZ008>015-044>055-090600- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 115 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA .DAY ONE...TODAY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. STORMS SHOULD DEVELOP OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST MONTANA BETWEEN 2 AND 4 PM AND SPREAD NORTHWARD THROUGH THE AREA...REACHING HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES BETWEEN 8 PM AND MIDNIGHT. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS. THEREFORE A FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MOST OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. REFER TO GTFRFWTFX...GTFRFWBYZ AND GTFRFWMSO FOR MORE INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Aug 8, 5:46 PM MDT, 5 hours 46 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
546 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2003
TIME(MDT) .....EVENT LOCATION..... ST ...EVENT/REMARKS...........
.....COUNTY LOCATION.....
0510 PM 2 W MOORE MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0515 PM MOORE MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0537 PM 3 SE DANVERS MT 0.88 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
NNNNLocal storm report, Aug 8, 9:57 PM MDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
957 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2003
TIME(MDT) .....EVENT LOCATION..... ST ...EVENT/REMARKS...........
.....COUNTY LOCATION.....
0510 PM 2 W MOORE MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0515 PM MOORE MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0537 PM 3 SE DANVERS MT 0.88 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0827 PM 3 SW GREAT FALLS MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 83 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND
WITH 0.75 INCH DIAMETER
HAIL REPORTED AT NWS
FORECAST OFFICE
0827 PM 3 SW GREAT FALLS MT 83 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/03 CASCADE
0835 PM 6 S GREAT FALLS MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 76 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND
WITH 0.50 INCH DIAMETER
HAIL REPORTED AT MISSILE
SITE SOUTH OF GREAT FALLS
0835 PM 6 S GREAT FALLS MT 76 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/03 CASCADE
0845 PM GREAT FALLS MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 0.75 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
REPORTED BY NWS EMPLOYEE
0846 PM 6 E GREAT FALLS MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 58 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND
WITH 0.50 INCH HAIL
REPORTED AT MALMSTROM AIR
FORCE BASE
0846 PM 6 E GREAT FALLS MT 58 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/03 CASCADE
0850 PM 1 SW GREAT FALLS MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 0.75 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
REPORTED BY NWS EMPLOYEE
0850 PM 4 S GREAT FALLS MT FUNNEL CLOUD
08/08/03 CASCADE PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL
CLOUD OVER RESIDENCE IN
SOUTHERN PORTION OF GREAT
FALLS
0855 PM 4 S GREAT FALLS MT FUNNEL CLOUD
08/08/03 CASCADE FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED OVER
SOUTHERN PORTION OF GREAT
FALLS BY NWS EMPLOYEE
NNNNLocal storm report, Aug 8, 9:57 PM MDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
957 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2003
TIME(MDT) .....EVENT LOCATION..... ST ...EVENT/REMARKS...........
.....COUNTY LOCATION.....
0510 PM 2 W MOORE MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0515 PM MOORE MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0537 PM 3 SE DANVERS MT 0.88 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 FERGUS
0827 PM 3 SW GREAT FALLS MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 83 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND
WITH 0.75 INCH DIAMETER
HAIL REPORTED AT NWS
FORECAST OFFICE
0827 PM 3 SW GREAT FALLS MT 83 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/03 CASCADE
0835 PM 6 S GREAT FALLS MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 76 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND
0835 PM 6 S GREAT FALLS MT 76 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/03 CASCADE
0845 PM GREAT FALLS MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 0.75 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
BY NWS EMPLOYEE BY NWS EMPLOYEE
0846 PM 6 E GREAT FALLS MT 0.50 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 58 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND
0846 PM 6 E GREAT FALLS MT 58 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/03 CASCADE
0850 PM 1 SW GREAT FALLS MT 0.75 INCH HAIL
08/08/03 CASCADE 0.75 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
0.90 INCH RAIN IN LESS
THAN AN HOUR REPORTED
REPORTED BY NWS EMPLOYEE
0850 PM 4 S GREAT FALLS MT FUNNEL CLOUD
08/08/03 CASCADE PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL
CLOUD OVER RESIDENCE IN
SOUTHERN PORTION OF GREAT
FALLS
0855 PM 4 S GREAT FALLS MT FUNNEL CLOUD
08/08/03 CASCADE FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED OVER
SOUTHERN PORTION OF GREAT
FALLS BY NWS EMPLOYEE
NNNNSpecial weather statement, Aug 8, 10:00 PM MDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
MTZ051-090430- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1000 PM MDT FRI AUG 8 2003 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR FERGUS COUNTY HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE... THE THREAT FOR WIDESPREAD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS DIMINISHED ACROSS FERGUS COUNTY...THEREFORE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH FERGUS COUNTY THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...BUT THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE AT THIS TIME. COULSTON
The office that day
Everything else NWS Great Falls, MT issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 8:26 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | TFX | Cascade | 34 min |
| Aug 8, 9:06 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Chouteau | 39 min |
| Aug 8, 9:53 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Liberty, Toole | 52 min |
| Aug 8, 10:45 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Lewis and Clark, Teton | 60 min |
| Aug 8, 10:46 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TFX | Liberty | 29 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Montana, 2003Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003
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.