Alert archive / Montana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 24, NWS Great Falls, MT

June 16, 2008Fergus County, Montana

NWS Great Falls, MT issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 16, 2008, 3:08 PM MDT for Fergus County, Montana. It was in force for 52 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 16, 2008, 3:08 PM MDT (21:08 UTC)
Expired
Jun 16, 2008, 4:00 PM MDT
In force
52 min
Issued by
NWS Great Falls, MT
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Fergus County, MT

The radar

The Billings radar (KBLX), 164 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:12 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Glasgow Intl Airport, MT (KGGW), launched 12:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 223 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, Glasgow Intl Airport, MT at 12:00Z on 2008-06-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 31 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, Glasgow Intl Airport, MT at 12:00Z on 2008-06-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 136 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
31 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-160 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1468 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
136 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
176 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Jun 16, 2:51 PM MDT, 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 16, 2:51 PM MDT, 17 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
251 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008

.DISCUSSION...

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...AS AN INSTABILITY AXIS SETS UP OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH
CENTRAL MONTANA. WEAK SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCES PROPAGATING THROUGH THE
RIDGE WILL PROVIDE CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR STORMS THROUGH
TONIGHT...AS SURFACE DEWPOINTS FROM 45 TO 50 DEG F CONTINUE TO BE
POOLED INTO NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. WITH STRONG MEAN FLOW OF 35 TO
45 KTS BETWEEN 700 AND 500 MB...AND STEEP LAPSE RATES BELOW 700
MB...STRONG AND POSSIBLY SEVERE WIND GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
STORMS...ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL MONTANA. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL
TAPER OFF THIS EVENING...WITH THE LOSS OF INSTABILITY. AS THE UPPER
LEVEL RIDGE AXIS SLIDES EAST OF THE REGION TONIGHT...SOUTHWESTERLY
FLOW...WITH ADDITIONAL MOISTURE...WILL SET UP OVER THE FORECAST
AREA. OPERATIONAL MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY
FOR STRONG STORMS OVER CENTRAL...AS WELL AS SOUTHWEST...MONTANA
FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS. DEEP LAYER MEAN FLOW WILL BE
SUPPORTIVE OF ORGANIZED STORMS WITH A GUSTY WIND AND SMALL HAIL
THREAT...AS WELL AS FOR AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM...BOTH
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES WILL
BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGE ACROSS THE FORECAST
AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. COHEN

WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...CWA ON WESTERN BOUNDARY OF BROAD
UPPER RIDGE WITH SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THIS PERIOD.
MOISTURE IS FAIRLY MINIMAL BUT ENOUGH TO KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE OF
AFTN/EVE THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THOUGH COVERAGE WILL BE SPOTTY AT
BEST.  TEMPERATURES HOLDING STEADY WED THRU FRI WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER
CONDITIONS ALONG ROCKY MTN FRONT ON SAT AS WEAK UPPER TROF SKIRTS
US/CAN BORDER.  WARANAUSKAS

MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...CURRENT SUITE OF GUIDANCE DEPICTS A
FAIRLY STAGNANT LARGE SCALE PATTERN FOR DAYS 7 AND 8...WITH A
PERSISTENT CLOSED AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE COAST OF BRITISH
COLUMBIA. THIS CLOSED LOW WILL MAINTAIN SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT
OVER OUR FORECAST AREA...AND LIKELY RESULT IN A CONTINUATION OF WEAK
ATMOSPHERE STABILITY. CONSEQUENTLY...A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS ANTICIPATED DURING BOTH DAYS...PARTICULARLY
NEAR PEAK DAYTIME HEATING. TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE NEAR
THE SEASONAL AVERAGE DURING THIS TIME AS WELL. ZUMPFE

&&

.AVIATION...
WIDESPREAD VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON. UNSTABLE CONDITIONS ARE INCREASING ACROSS
THE REGION AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS FROM 21Z TO 03Z. HAVE INCLUDED MENTION OF
VCTS AT KBZN AND KLWT BUT OTHER TERMINALS DO NOT LOOK FAVORABLE
ENOUGH AT THIS TIME FOR ANY MENTION. WILL UPDATE DISCUSSION AND
INDIVIDUAL TAFS ONCE BETTER TIMING OF POTENTIAL STORMS IS
DETERMINED. MPJ

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
CONTINUED SNOW MELT WILL CAUSE ELEVATED WATER LEVELS ON AREA
RIVERS...CREEKS...AND STREAMS. RIVER LEVELS HAVE RISEN ABOVE
BANKFULL ON THE SMITH RIVER 13 MILES SOUTH OF ULM AND NEAR
INTERSTATE 90 IN SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY...AND RISES HAVE ALSO
BEEN NOTED ON BADGER CREEK NEAR BROWNING AND THE SUN RIVER WEST OF
GREAT FALLS. A FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SMITH RIVER
AND OTHER SMALL STREAMS IN CASCADE...BROADWATER...GALLATIN...
JEFFERSON...AND MADISON COUNTIES. OTHER AREAS WILL CONTINUE TO BE
MONITORED THROUGH THE WEEK.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  49  82  51  77 /  20  20  20  20
CTB  46  79  48  75 /  10  10  10  20
HLN  50  87  52  83 /  10  20  20  20
BZN  49  85  48  82 /  20  20  20  20
WEY  41  77  41  76 /  20  20  20  20
DLN  47  81  47  79 /  10  20  20  20
HVR  50  84  51  79 /  20  10  20  10
LWT  47  78  47  73 /  20  20  20  20

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

...SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 PM MDT TUESDAY
FOR CASCADE COUNTY (MTZ012)...

...SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM MDT TUESDAY
FOR BROADWATER...GALLATIN...JEFFERSON...AND MADISON COUNTIES
(MTZ007...MTZ031...MTZ043...AND MTZ057)...

&&

SHORT TERM...COHEN
LONG TERM...WARANAUSKAS/ZUMPFE
AVIATION...MPJ

WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 16, 12:32 PM MDT, 2 hours 36 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008

MTZ012-171230-
CASCADE-
1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR CASCADE COUNTY.
MINOR FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE SMITH RIVER...ABOUT 13
MILES SOUTH OF ULM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THE SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CASCADE
COUNTY UNTIL 1230 PM MDT TUESDAY.

NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK WILL CAUSE
INCREASED SNOWMELT OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS. AS A RESULT...RIVER...
CREEK...AND STREAM LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
THE MAIN AREAS OF CONCERN WILL BE NEAR THE MOUNTAINS IN CENTRAL
MONTANA. THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED FOR
ADDITIONAL FLOOD HIGHLIGHTS.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

MTZ008>010-014-015-046-048>055-171230-
BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-EASTERN PONDERA-
SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-
JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN-
1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT IS
LOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK WILL CAUSE
INCREASED SNOWMELT OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS. AS A RESULT...RIVER...
CREEK...AND STREAM LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
THE MAIN AREAS OF CONCERN WILL BE ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN
FRONT...NEAR THE MOUNTAINS IN CENTRAL MONTANA...AND ACROSS MUCH OF
SOUTHWEST MONTANA. THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED
FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD HIGHLIGHTS.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

MTZ011-013-044-045-047-171230-
HILL-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-BLAINE-
1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT IS
LOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

COHEN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 16, 1:57 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTFXBroadwater12 min
Jun 16, 2:14 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTFXBroadwater, Gallatin, Jefferson, Madison14 days

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.