Alert archive / Montana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 10, NWS Billings, MT

June 3, 2015Sweet Grass County, Montana

NWS Billings, MT issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 3, 2015, 11:55 PM MDT for Sweet Grass County, Montana. It was in force for 65 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 3, 2015, 11:55 PM MDT (05:55 UTC)
Expired
Jun 4, 2015, 1:00 AM MDT
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS Billings, MT
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Sweet Grass County, MT

The radar

The Billings radar (KBLX), 103 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:58 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 00:00Z, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 190 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 00:00Z on 2015-06-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 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 00:00Z on 2015-06-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -1 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-36 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1928 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
63 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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 3, 9:21 PM MDT, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 3, 9:21 PM MDT, 2 hours 34 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 3, 9:24 PM MDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 3, 7:46 PM MDT, 4 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
746 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

MTZ028-041-042-040245-
NORTHERN SWEET GRASS MT-SOUTHERN WHEATLAND MT-GOLDEN VALLEY MT-
746 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

AT 744 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 14
MILES SOUTHWEST OF HARLOWTON...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL
CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHEASTERN
WHEATLAND...NORTH CENTRAL SWEET GRASS AND SOUTHWESTERN GOLDEN VALLEY
COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 4614 10995 4632 11007 4648 10963 4619 10946
TIME...MOT...LOC 0144Z 247DEG 13KT 4624 10997

TWH
Special weather statement, Jun 3, 7:52 PM MDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
752 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

MTZ038-WYZ098-099-040245-
SOUTHERN BIG HORN MT-NORTHEAST BIG HORN MOUNTAINS WY-
SHERIDAN FOOTHILLS WY-
752 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

AT 748 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A A FEW STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS NEAR SHERIDAN. ONE STORM WAS JUST NORTHEAST OF
SHERIDAN. A SECOND STORM WAS 5 MILES WEST OF SHERIDAN. A THIRD STORM
WAS 5 MILES SOUTH OF SHERIDAN. ALL STORMS WERE MOVING EAST TO
NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND HALF INCH HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL CAUSE STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE
QUICKLY ALONG WITH PRODUCING STANDING WATER ON ROADS AND
DRAMATICALLY REDUCING VISIBILITY. THOSE LIVING NEAR STREAMS AND
CREEKS SHOULD WATCH FOR QUICKLY RISING WATER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
ACTION IF NECESSARY.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
SHERIDAN...RANCHESTER...DAYTON...BIG HORN AND TONGUE RIVER RESERVOIR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 4462 10704 4489 10735 4515 10679 4485 10642
TIME...MOT...LOC 0148Z 247DEG 13KT 4488 10689

TWH
Special weather statement, Jun 3, 8:32 PM MDT, 3 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
832 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

MTZ038-057-058-WYZ099-040330-
SOUTHERN ROSEBUD MT-NORTHERN BIG HORN MT-SOUTHERN BIG HORN MT-
SHERIDAN FOOTHILLS WY-
832 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

AT 830 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 13
MILES SOUTHEAST OF LODGE GRASS...OR 29 MILES NORTH OF SHERIDAN...
MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.

NICKEL SIZE HAIL...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL CAUSE
STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE QUICKLY ALONG WITH PRODUCING STANDING
WATER ON ROADS AND DRAMATICALLY REDUCING VISIBILITY. THOSE LIVING
NEAR STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD WATCH FOR QUICKLY RISING WATER AND BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF NECESSARY.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BUSBY...TONGUE RIVER RESERVOIR...KIRBY...ROSEBUD BATTLEFIELD PARK AND
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 4500 10734 4551 10731 4552 10673 4535 10673
      4535 10677 4518 10677 4518 10674 4499 10681
TIME...MOT...LOC 0230Z 194DEG 24KT 4520 10712

TWH
Special weather statement, Jun 3, 8:46 PM MDT, 3 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
846 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

MTZ028-041-040345-
NORTHERN SWEET GRASS MT-SOUTHERN WHEATLAND MT-
846 PM MDT WED JUN 3 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

AT 845 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10
MILES SOUTH OF HARLOWTON...MOVING NORTH AT 5 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL CAUSE
STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE QUICKLY ALONG WITH PRODUCING STANDING
WATER ON ROADS AND DRAMATICALLY REDUCING VISIBILITY. THOSE LIVING
NEAR STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD WATCH FOR QUICKLY RISING WATER AND BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF NECESSARY.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TWODOT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 4613 10983 4615 11009 4644 11012 4641 10967
TIME...MOT...LOC 0245Z 188DEG 5KT 4629 10992

TWH
Local storm report, Jun 3, 9:26 PM MDT, 2 hours 29 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jun 3, 11:32 PM MDT, 23 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 3, 7:46 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBYZWheatland59 min
Jun 3, 8:32 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBYZBig Horn58 min
Jun 3, 8:46 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBYZWheatland59 min
Jun 3, 9:12 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBYZWheatland6 hr
Jun 3, 11:32 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBYZSweet Grass28 min
Jun 4, 1:10 AM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBYZStillwater35 min
Jun 3, 7:52 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBYZSheridan53 min
Jun 3, 10:46 PM MDTRiver Flood WarningBYZSheridan48 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Montana, 2015Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2015

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.