Alert archive / Montana / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Missoula, MT

July 1, 2012Flathead County, Montana

NWS Missoula, MT issued this special weather statement at Jul 1, 2012, 5:44 PM MDT for Flathead County, Montana. It was in force for 31 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 1, 2012, 5:44 PM MDT (23:44 UTC)
Expired
Jul 1, 2012, 6:15 PM MDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Missoula, MT

County Flathead County, MT

The radar

The Missoula radar (KMSX), 128 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:45 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

Spokane, WA (KOTX), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 186 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, Spokane, WA at 12:00Z on 2012-07-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 82 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, Spokane, WA at 12:00Z on 2012-07-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -2 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
82 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-49 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
661 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
33 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Jul 1, 5:21 PM MDT, 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 1, 5:21 PM MDT, 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
521 PM MDT Sun Jul 1 2012

.UPDATE...Just issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until
11 pm MDT for Powell, Deer Lodge and Silver Bow counties.

&&

.DISCUSSION...As previously expected, the Storm Prediction Center
has issued a severe thunderstorm watch which covers all of
Southwest Montana until 11pm MDT. Large hail and damaging wind
gusts combined with lightning will be the key threats.

&&

.AVIATION...AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BE
PROVIDING MOIST UNSTABLE CONDITIONS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
DEVELOPING AND POTENTIALLY IMPACTING ALL AIRFIELDS ACROSS NORTH-
CENTRAL IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA. THIS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL
BE DECREASING BY SUNSET, THEN PRETTY MUCH ALL TOGETHER BY MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT. MOISTURE NEAR THE SURFACE RECENT RAINFALL WILL BE
AVAILABLE FOR PATCHY FOG DEVELOPMENT IN THE VALLEYS BRIEFLY MONDAY
MORNING. DRIER AIR WILL BE MOVING INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST
MONDAY FOR IMPROVING CONDITIONS OVERALL.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED /

DISCUSSION...A FAIRLY WEAK COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY
WORK ITS WAY ACROSS WESTERN AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON
INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. AS EXPECTED, AMPLE SUNSHINE HAS
OCCURRED AHEAD OF THE FRONT RESULTING IN SUFFICIENT DESTABILIZATION
OF THE ATMOSPHERE OVER LEMHI COUNTY AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA TO
PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW
STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE GREATEST
THREATS BEING LARGE HAIL AND PERHAPS LOCALIZED DAMAGING WINDS.
HEAVY RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED WITH MOST SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WHICH DEVELOPED DUE TO THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE ACROSS MUCH OF THE
AREA REMAINING UNSEASONABLY MOIST. MEANWHILE SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHWEST
MONTANA AND PERSIST THROUGH AROUND SUNSET. THE GREATEST IMPACT
WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE BRIEF BOUTS OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

THERE SHOULD BE A NOTABLE DECREASE IN CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT
TONIGHT, RESULTING IN LOW TEMPERATURES MONDAY BEING CLOSER TO
NORMAL. WEAK INSTABILITY APPEARS PRESENT ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH-
CENTRAL IDAHO AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA MONDAY AFTERNOON WHICH MAY
INTERACT WITH LEFTOVER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO PRODUCE SOME SHOWERS
AND PERHAPS A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER OF GREATER IMPACT WILL BE
AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH, SURFACE COLD FRONT AND STRONG
UPPER LEVEL JET STREAM WINDS. ALL MODELS SUGGEST A CULMINATION OF
THESE FACTORS WILL PRODUCE AN AREA OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION
ATTRIBUTED TO STRONG OVERNIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER
EASTERN OREGON/WASHINGTON, IDAHO PANHANDLE AND EVENTUALLY TRACKING
INTO NORTHWEST MONTANA BY TUESDAY MORNING. ALL THESE MODELS AGREE
ON PRODUCING BETWEEN 0.20 AND 0.40 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION OVER
NORTHWEST MONTANA.

A COLD FRONT ON TUESDAY WILL CAUSE STRONG, GUSTY WINDS LASTING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  THE FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH NORTHWEST
MONTANA IN THE MORNING, AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA IN THE AFTERNOON.
PRECIPITATION IN THE LAKE KOOCANUSA BASIN WILL BE THE MAIN
CONCERN IN NORTHWEST MONTANA AS DAM OPERATORS ARE TRYING TO
MANAGE THE FLOODING POTENTIAL IN THE AREA. IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA,
FIRE WEATHER IMPACTS WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN. WITH MULTIPLE
LARGE FIRES IN THE AREA AND LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES REPORTING
HIGH FIRE DANGERS, LIGHTNING STRIKES AND STRONG WINDS WITH THE
FRONT ARE TOP CONCERNS.

BEYOND WEDNESDAY, TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL DUE TO
THE INFLUENCE OF A RIDGE FROM THE SOUTHEAST. TEMPERATURES IN THE
LOW 90S ARE POSSIBLE NEXT WEEKEND.

AVIATION...AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BE
PROVIDING MOIST UNSTABLE CONDITIONS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
DEVELOPING AND POTENTIALLY IMPACTING ALL AIRFIELDS ACROSS NORTH-
CENTRAL IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA. THIS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL
BE DECREASING BY SUNSET, THEN PRETTY MUCH ALL TOGETHER BY MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT. MOISTURE NEAR THE SURFACE RECENT RAINFALL WILL BE
AVAILABLE FOR PATCHY FOG DEVELOPMENT IN THE VALLEYS BRIEFLY MONDAY
MORNING. DRIER AIR WILL BE MOVING INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST
MONDAY FOR IMPROVING CONDITIONS OVERALL.

&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...RED FLAG WARNING until 9 PM MDT this evening Butte/Blackfoot
     Region.

ID...RED FLAG WARNING until 9 PM MDT this evening Eastern Lemhi
     County.

&&

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 1, 4:37 PM MDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
437 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

MTZ006-007-012315-
BITTERROOT/SAPPHIRE MOUNTAINS-BUTTE/PINTLAR REGION-
437 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN GRANITE...SOUTHERN
POWELL...NORTHWESTERN SILVER BOW AND DEER LODGE COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM
MDT...

AT 434 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 23 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WEST VALLEY...OR 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF ANACONDA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...ANACONDA...WEST
VALLEY...GREGSON HOT SPRINGS...WARM SPRINGS...GALEN...GEORGETOWN...
LOST CREEK...CRACKERVILLE...OPPORTUNITY AND RACETRACK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 4584 11340 4599 11357 4649 11300 4614 11250
      4613 11251 4610 11247 4609 11248
TIME...MOT...LOC 2237Z 231DEG 45KT 4598 11337
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 5:01 PM MDT, 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
501 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

IDZ009-010-012345-
EASTERN LEMHI COUNTY-WESTERN LEMHI COUNTY-
501 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL LEMHI COUNTY UNTIL 545 PM
MDT...

AT 459 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF
SALMON TO 17 MILES NORTH OF CHALLIS...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...BAKER.

LAT...LON 4475 11409 4473 11412 4474 11418 4532 11410
      4552 11377 4548 11374 4545 11377 4539 11372
      4533 11372 4516 11357 4467 11403
TIME...MOT...LOC 2301Z 212DEG 23KT 4526 11379 4475 11410
Local storm report, Jul 1, 5:15 PM MDT, 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
515 PM MDT SUN JUL 01 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0458 PM     HAIL             1 WNW SALMON            45.18N 113.92W
07/01/2012  E0.50 INCH       LEMHI              ID   TRAINED SPOTTER

0458 PM     HAIL             1 ENE SALMON            45.18N 113.88W
07/01/2012  E0.88 INCH       LEMHI              ID   TRAINED SPOTTER

0458 PM     HAIL             3 ENE CARMEN            45.27N 113.84W
07/01/2012  M0.75 INCH       LEMHI              ID   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

KOLATA
Local storm report, Jul 1, 5:17 PM MDT, 27 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
517 PM MDT SUN JUL 01 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0458 PM     HAIL             1 WNW SALMON            45.18N 113.92W
07/01/2012  E0.50 INCH       LEMHI              ID   TRAINED SPOTTER

0458 PM     HAIL             1 ENE SALMON            45.18N 113.88W
07/01/2012  E0.88 INCH       LEMHI              ID   TRAINED SPOTTER

0458 PM     HAIL             3 ENE CARMEN            45.27N 113.84W
07/01/2012  M0.75 INCH       LEMHI              ID   TRAINED SPOTTER

0415 PM     HAIL             7 N GIBBONSVILLE        45.66N 113.92W
07/01/2012  E0.88 INCH       BEAVERHEAD         MT   PUBLIC

            HAIL COVERED THE GROUND ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN.

&&

KOLATA
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 5:33 PM MDT, 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
533 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

MTZ007-020015-
BUTTE/PINTLAR REGION-
533 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN POWELL AND
NORTHEASTERN DEER LODGE COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM MDT...

AT 531 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR DEER LODGE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...
ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...ELLISTON AND
BLOSSBURG.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM MDT
SUNDAY EVENING FOR WEST CENTRAL MONTANA.

&&

LAT...LON 4623 11266 4635 11287 4672 11246 4670 11240
      4666 11240 4667 11233 4666 11231 4662 11229
      4651 11229
TIME...MOT...LOC 2333Z 220DEG 41KT 4636 11268
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 5:44 PM MDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
544 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

MTZ001>003-020015-
FLATHEAD/MISSION VALLEYS-KOOTENAI/CABINET REGION-WEST GLACIER/BOB
MARSHALL REGION-
544 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL FLATHEAD COUNTY UNTIL 615
PM MDT...

AT 541 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF KALISPELL...MOVING EAST AT 30
MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...
ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BIGFORK AND CRESTON.

LAT...LON 4834 11382 4813 11370 4800 11432 4816 11442
TIME...MOT...LOC 2344Z 249DEG 28KT 4811 11424

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 30, 11:26 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOFlathead, Mineral, Sanders64 min
Jul 1, 12:32 AM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOFlathead, Lake58 min
Jul 1, 2:10 AM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOMineral50 min
Jul 1, 2:15 AM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMSOFlathead, Lake, Mineral, Missoula, Sanders45 min
Jul 1, 4:45 AM MDTRed Flag WarningMSOBeaverhead, Jefferson, Madison, Silver Bow14 hr
Jul 1, 2:48 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSO27 min
Jul 1, 3:27 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSORavalli48 min
Jul 1, 3:31 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMSORavalli44 min
Jul 1, 4:37 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSODeer Lodge38 min
Jul 1, 5:33 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOPowell42 min
Jun 30, 9:07 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMSOClearwater, Idaho39 min
Jul 1, 5:01 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementMSOLemhi44 min
Jul 1, 5:37 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMSOLemhi4 hr

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Montana, 2012Every special weather statement in 2012

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.