Alert archive / Montana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 12, NWS Missoula, MT
NWS Missoula, MT issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 4, 2008, 5:40 PM MDT for 4 counties in Montana. It was in force for 48 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 4, 2008, 5:40 PM MDT (23:40 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 4, 2008, 6:28 PM MDT
- In force
- 48 min
- Issued by
- NWS Missoula, MT
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Flathead County, MT, Lake County, MT, Missoula County, MT, Powell County, MT
The radar
The Missoula radar (KMSX), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:42 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 4, 5:45 PM MDT | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Nne Salmon Prairie, MT | PUBLIC REPORTED WIDESPREAD TREE DAMAGE NEAR LION CREEK NORTHEAST OF CONDON. MANY SPRUCE TREES 1.5 FEET IN DIAMETER BROKE 2 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. FUR TREES UPROOTED AND LANDED OVER THE CREEK. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 5 minutes after it went out.
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 4, 2:04 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 8 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 202 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
- 32 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -527 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2745 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 39 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 132 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.
000
WUUS55 KMSO 042340
SVRMSO
MTC029-047-063-077-050045-
/O.NEW.KMSO.SV.W.0012.080704T2340Z-080705T0045Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
540 PM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
NORTHEASTERN LAKE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MONTANA...
SOUTHEASTERN FLATHEAD COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MONTANA...
NORTHEASTERN MISSOULA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...
NORTHWESTERN POWELL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...
* UNTIL 645 PM MDT.
* AT 536 PM MDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60
MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 17 MILES SOUTH OF SWAN LAKE...OR ABOUT
20 MILES EAST OF POLSON...AND WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
SWAN LAKE AROUND 555 PM MDT...
SWAN LAKE AROUND 600 PM MDT.
DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. LARGE HAIL
IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR
PROTECTION...GO INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT
OUTSIDE...MOVE TO A WELL PROTECTED AREA.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM MDT
FRIDAY EVENING FOR EAST CENTRAL IDAHO AND NORTHWESTERN MONTANA.
LAT...LON 4794 11292 4790 11308 4777 11306 4772 11315
4762 11312 4747 11369 4781 11412 4830 11337
4822 11322 4816 11321 4817 11318 4814 11313
4813 11302 4798 11287
TIME...MOT...LOC 2340Z 232DEG 13KT 4771 11371
$$
KITSMILLER1 follow-up statement
000
WWUS55 KMSO 050028
SVSMSO
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
616 PM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008
MTC029-047-063-077-050026-
/O.CAN.KMSO.SV.W.0012.000000T0000Z-080705T0045Z/
MISSOULA MT-LAKE MT-FLATHEAD MT-POWELL MT-
616 PM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN POWELL...
SOUTHEASTERN FLATHEAD...NORTHEASTERN LAKE AND NORTHEASTERN MISSOULA
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF
THE AREA AND IS NO LONGER A FACTOR.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM MDT
FRIDAY EVENING FOR EAST CENTRAL IDAHO AND NORTHWESTERN MONTANA.
LAT...LON 4794 11292 4790 11308 4777 11306 4772 11315
4762 11312 4747 11369 4781 11412 4830 11337
4822 11322 4816 11321 4817 11318 4814 11313
4813 11302 4798 11287
TIME...MOT...LOC 0016Z 232DEG 13KT 4779 11356
$$
KITSMILLERWhat 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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 4, 2:35 PM MDT, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 4, 2:35 PM MDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT 235 PM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008 .DISCUSSION...A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH THAT IS CURRENTLY MAKING ITS WAY INTO NORTHWEST MONTANA AND NORTHERN IDAHO WILL CONTINUE TO PASS THROUGH THE NORTHERN ROCKIES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE BEST INSTABILITY WILL QUICKLY PASS THROUGH WESTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL PASS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BULK SHEAR UP TO 50KTS...LIFTED INDICES UP TO NEGATIVE 2-5C...THETA-E LAPSE RATES NEGATIVE 2-5K/KM AND MUCAPE VALUES OF 1000-2000J/KM MAINLY IN WESTERN/SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA ALL POINT IN THE DIRECTION FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON TO PRODUCE HAIL..BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS. THESE STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...AS WELL AS LEMHI COUNTY BETWEEN AROUND 3PM TO 6PM. IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 9PM THIS EVENING. SKY COVER WILL DECREASE THIS EVENING STARTING IN NORTHWEST MONTANA...BUT SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA. SATURDAY WILL BE A LITTLE COOLER DUE TO SOME LINGERING CLOUDS AND SOME AIR MASS COOLING IN THE WAKE OF TONIGHTS DISTURBANCE. THERE IS STILL A THREAT OF LATE DAY CONVECTION OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA AND LEMHI AND SOUTHERN IDAHO COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AS THE SURFACE THERMAL BOUNDARY AND INSTABILITY PERSIST OVER THAT AREA. A SECOND WEAKER TROUGH PASSES OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES SUNDAY. THIS IS NOT EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MUCH...EXCEPT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LINGERING INSTABILITY AGAIN MAINLY OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA AND ADJACENT IDAHO COUNTIES. A LOW AMPLITUDE RIDGE WILL DEVELOP MONDAY AND PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE COMING WEEK. THIS WILL KEEP THE REGION DRY WHILE PUSHING TEMPERATURES A BIT EACH DAY. THERE IS A HINT OF THE RIDGE WEAKENING AROUND FRIDAY AS WE BEGIN TO GET SOME ENERGY OFF OF A GULF OF ALASKA TROUGH. WILL BE TOUGH TO HAVE MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING OF THIS FOR A FEW MORE DAYS...HOWEVER...AND HAVE THUS LEFT THE WARM AND DRY FORECAST IN PLACE FOR NOW. && .AVIATION...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN MONTANA AND NORTHERN IDAHO. THE AREA OF GREATEST CONCERN FOR VERY STRONG STORMS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL WILL GENERALLY BE EAST OF A LINE FROM LEMHI COUNTY IN IDAHO TO FLATHEAD COUNTY IN MONTANA. MOST AREAS WILL SEE A DECREASE IN CONVECTION AFTER 00 UTC (1800 HRS MDT)...BUT THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA AND LEMHI COUNTY UNTIL AROUND DARK. && .MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: FLATHEAD...LAKE...POWELL...SILVER BOW...DEERLODGE...GRANITE... MISSOULA...AND RAVALLI UNTIL 10 PM MDT. ID...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR LEMHI COUNTY UNTIL 10 PM MDT. && SHORT TERM...KITSMILLER LONG TERM....WHITMORE AVIATION...WHITMORE
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 4, 5:07 AM MDT, 12 hours 33 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT 507 AM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008 IDZ006-MTZ002-005>007-043-042200- SOUTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-WEST GLACIER REGION- MISSOULA/BITTERROOT VALLEYS-BITTERROOT/SAPPHIRE MOUNTAINS- BUTTE/BLACKFOOT REGION-POTOMAC/SEELEY LAKE REGION- 507 AM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008 /407 AM PDT FRI JUL 4 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO...NORTHWEST MONTANA AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS A WEATHER DISTURBANCE PASSES THROUGH THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE STRONG PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE EVENING CONTINUING THE THREAT FOR BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL AND HAIL. HOWEVER THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS BUT DIMINISH IN INTENSITY WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL BEING THE MAIN THREAT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. IDZ005-007-008-MTZ001-003-004-042200- NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-OROFINO/GRANGEVILLE REGION- LOWER HELLS CANYON/SALMON RIVER REGION-KOOTENAI/CABINET REGION- FLATHEAD/MISSION VALLEYS-LOWER CLARK FORK REGION- 507 AM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008 /407 AM PDT FRI JUL 4 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO...NORTHWEST MONTANA AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS A WEATHER DISTURBANCE PASSES THROUGH THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE STRONG EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON...MAINLY IN THE CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS NEAR THE MONTANA BORDER...PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING KEEPING THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL. HOWEVER THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD DIMINISH IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. IDZ009-010-042200- WESTERN LEMHI COUNTY-EASTERN LEMHI COUNTY- 507 AM MDT FRI JUL 4 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS A WEATHER DISTURBANCE PASSES THROUGH THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AT THE ONSET OF CONVECTION. AS STRONG SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING THE MAIN THREAT WILL TRANSITION TO HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. HOWEVER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DIMINISH IN INTENSITY BUT CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL BEING THE MAIN THREAT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jul 4, 4:16 PM MDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
416 PM MDT FRI JUL 04 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0409 PM HAIL 1 N SOMERS 48.09N 114.22W
07/04/2008 E1.00 INCH FLATHEAD MT TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED MARBLE, NICKEL, AND QUARTER SIZE
HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 45 MPH. DAMAGE TO CAMPER WITH HAIL
ACCUMULATED ON THE GROUND.
&&
KITSMILLLocal storm report, Jul 4, 5:09 PM MDT, 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
509 PM MDT FRI JUL 04 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0504 PM HAIL 13 ENE SULA 45.93N 113.74W
07/04/2008 E0.88 INCH RAVALLI MT PARK/FOREST SRVC
REPORT WAS FROM A FIRE LOOKOUT AT 6629 FEET.
0504 PM HAIL ESSEX 48.28N 113.61W
07/04/2008 E0.75 INCH FLATHEAD MT TRAINED SPOTTER
0504 PM HAIL 1 SSE KICKING HORSE 47.44N 114.06W
07/04/2008 E1.50 INCH LAKE MT TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
WHITMORELocal storm report, Jul 4, 5:17 PM MDT, 23 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
517 PM MDT FRI JUL 04 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0454 PM HAIL ESSEX 48.28N 113.61W
07/04/2008 E0.75 INCH FLATHEAD MT TRAINED SPOTTER
0500 PM HAIL 13 ENE SULA 45.93N 113.74W
07/04/2008 E0.88 INCH RAVALLI MT PARK/FOREST SRVC
REPORT WAS FROM A FIRE LOOKOUT AT 6629 FEET.
0505 PM HAIL 1 SSE KICKING HORSE 47.44N 114.06W
07/04/2008 E1.50 INCH LAKE MT TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
WHITMOREThe office that day
Everything else NWS Missoula, MT issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 3:50 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MSO | Flathead | 25 min |
| Jul 4, 4:27 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MSO | Powell | 26 min |
| Jul 4, 4:37 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MSO | Flathead | 38 min |
| Jul 4, 4:58 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MSO | Flathead, Lake, Missoula, Sanders | 47 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Montana, 2008Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.