Alert archive / Montana / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Great Falls, MT

July 26, 2012Pondera County, Teton County, Montana

NWS Great Falls, MT issued this special weather statement at Jul 26, 2012, 3:57 PM MDT for Pondera County, Teton County, Montana. It was in force for 48 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 26, 2012, 3:57 PM MDT (21:57 UTC)
Expired
Jul 26, 2012, 4:45 PM MDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Great Falls, MT

Counties Pondera County, MT, Teton County, MT

The radar

The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:56 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

Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 141 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, Great_falls, MT at 12:00Z on 2012-07-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1 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, Great_falls, MT at 12:00Z on 2012-07-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -22 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
1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-303 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1321 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
170 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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at Jul 26, 2:42 PM MDT, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 26, 2:42 PM MDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
242 PM MDT THU JUL 26 2012

.DISCUSSION...
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...NOT MUCH CHANGE EXPECTED
IN CONDITIONS OR THE OVERALL WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE SHORT-TERM
PERIOD...AS A LARGE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SLOWLY
STRENGTHEN OVER THE NRN ROCKIES.  RIDGE WILL PRODUCE MOSTLY DRY
CONDITIONS BETWEEN INTERMITTENT PASSAGES OF MONSOONAL/PACIFIC
MOISTURE THAT WILL LEAD TO THUNDERSTORMS EACH AFTN/EVE.
EXPECT MOST OF THE STORM ACTIVITY TO BE ALONG THE ROCKY MTN FRONT
AND OVER SOUTHWEST MT THIS EVE BUT FORECAST MODELS CONTINUE TO
INDICATE WIDER COVERAGE OF STORMS TOMORROW EVE...WITH AT LEAST
ISOLATED COVERAGE ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND HILINE COUNTIES AND
SLIGHTLY HIGHER COVERAGE OVER SOUTHWEST MT.  PRETTY MUCH THE SAME
FORECAST FOR SATURDAY WITH A REDUCED CHANCE OF STORMS ALONG THE
HILINE.  A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG WITH BRIEF HEAVY
DOWNPOURS AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS BUT OVERALL SEVERE THREAT IS LOW
THIS EVE THRU SAT EVE. TEMPERATURES WARM BACK INTO THE LOW 90S OVER
THE VALLEYS AND PLAINS TOMORROW AND SATURDAY...WITH PLEASANTLY
COOLER UPPER 70S TO MID 80S IN THE MTNS.
WARANAUSKAS

SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...THE PERIOD BEGINS WITH SHORTWAVE
ENERGY MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER RIDGE POSITION AND INITIATING
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA. BY SUNDAY
AFTERNOON THE UPPER RIDGE REBOUNDS AND USHERS IN A RELATIVELY QUIET
PERIOD THAT WILL LAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PERIODIC SHORTWAVE ENERGY
MOVING THROUGH THE RIDGE WILL KICK OFF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...
MAINLY OVER HIGHER TERRAIN DURING THIS TIME. BY THURSDAY...THE GFS
BRINGS AN UPPER TROF ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA WHILE THE EUROPEAN
MAINTAINS AN UPPER RIDGE OVER THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES DURING THE PERIOD WITH THE GFS
HINTING AT READINGS DROPPING BACK TO SEASONAL READINGS ON THURSDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...
UPDATED 1720Z.
HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE HAS SETTLED INTO THE NRN ROCKIES AND WILL REMAIN
IN PLACE OVER NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...CREATING WIDESPREAD VFR
CONDITIONS.  CURRENT SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS AREA OF MOISTURE COMING
INTO THE WESTERN FLANK OF THE RIDGE...WHICH SHOULD SPARK ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS AFTN/EVE OVER SOUTHWEST MT AND SMALL
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MT.  HAVE MENTION OF VCTS FOR KBZN/KHLN BUT
PROBABILITY FOR STORMS AT OTHER TERMINALS IS LOW.  WINDS WILL
GENERALLY BE LIGHT WITH GUSTS OF 35-40 KTS POSSIBLE FROM ANY NEARBY
THUNDERSTORMS.
WARANAUSKAS

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
NO FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE PLANNED FOR AT THIS TIME OVER THE
NEXT FEW DAYS. AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES DROPPING INTO THE TEENS TO
MID 20 PERCENT RANGE COUPLED WITH VERY WARM TEMPERATURES CAN BE
EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. OVERALL...WINDS
SHOULD BE ON THE LIGHT SIDE MOST DAYS...BUT AN HOUR OR TWO OF
BREEZY WINDS SHOULD BE EXPECTED DURING THE PRIME AFTERNOON HEATING
HOURS (MAINLY 1 PM TO 5 PM) MOST DAYS. ADDITIONALLY...
ISOLATED/SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FIRE DISTRICTS
THROUGH THE WEEKEND. MOST THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL TO
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AT TIMES...WITH LITTLE RAINFALL THOUGH WETTER
STORMS WILL OCCUR AS WELL.  BRUSDA/WARANAUSKAS

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  57  92  60  92 /  20  20  20  20
CTB  52  88  56  88 /  20  20  20  10
HLN  57  90  59  91 /  20  20  20  20
BZN  51  90  51  90 /  20  30  30  20
WEY  43  79  42  81 /  20  30  20  20
DLN  54  86  52  87 /  20  20  20  20
HVR  56  92  60  93 /  10  20  20  20
LWT  53  87  57  88 /  10  20  20  20

&&

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

SHORT TERM...WARANAUSKAS
LONG TERM...EMANUEL
AVIATION...WARANAUSKAS

WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 26, 3:51 AM MDT, 12 hours 6 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
351 AM MDT THU JUL 26 2012

MTZ008-012>015-048>055-271200-
BEAVERHEAD-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-
MADISON-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-
FERGUS-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN-
351 AM MDT THU JUL 26 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE REGION
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND BRIEF WIND
GUSTS FROM 45 TO 55 MPH...WITH A SMALL CHANCE FOR AN ISOLATED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE REGION
FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND BRIEF WIND GUSTS
FROM 45 TO 55 MPH...WITH A SMALL CHANCE FOR AN ISOLATED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF STRONG WIND GUSTS OR A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED.

MTZ009>011-044>047-271200-
NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-TOOLE-LIBERTY-
EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-
351 AM MDT THU JUL 26 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 26, 3:57 PM MDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
357 PM MDT THU JUL 26 2012

MTZ009-046-048-049-262245-
EASTERN PONDERA MT-EASTERN TETON MT-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT
MT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT MT-
357 PM MDT THU JUL 26 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL PONDERA AND CENTRAL TETON
COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM MDT...

AT 355 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 17 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF HEART BUTTE TO 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHOTEAU...AND MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 35 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AND HEAVY RAIN OF UP TO ONE QUARTER INCH IN LESS THAN A HALF HOUR.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
   DUPUYER...
   BYNUM AND  CHOTEAU...
   PENDROY...
   VALIER...
   CONRAD AND  BRADY...

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.

IN ADDITION...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 4844 11202 4790 11166 4758 11236 4815 11274
      4845 11210 4845 11205
TIME...MOT...LOC 2156Z 235DEG 28KT 4812 11257 4771 11229

COULSTON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 26, 4:24 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementTFXMadison51 min
Jul 26, 5:58 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementTFXFergus62 min

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.