Thunderstorm Wind, Flathead
- When
- May 31, 6:00 PM MST to 6:30 PM MST
- Where
- Flathead County, Kalispell Intl Arpt to West Glacier
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph)
- Coordinates
- 48.320, -114.250
Damaging Wind in Montana, May 31, 1997
After causing 52 mph wind gusts at Glacier Park Airport and a six inch diameter tree branch down in Creston, thunderstorm winds blew approximately 200 trees over near Bowman Lake, some up to 30 inches in diameter. The downed trees severely damaged three cars.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS MSO wrote it up.
After causing 52 mph wind gusts at Glacier Park Airport and a six inch diameter tree branch down in Creston, thunderstorm winds blew approximately 200 trees over near Bowman Lake, some up to 30 inches in diameter. The downed trees severely damaged three cars.
The radar
The Missoula radar (KMSX), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:59 UTC.
Event by event
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Hail in Washington, May 31, 1997
- Tornadoes and Hail in Idaho, May 31, 1997
- Tornado in Washington, May 31, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Idaho, May 31, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Washington, May 31, 1997
- Tornado and Hail in Idaho, May 31, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Tennessee, May 31, 1997
- Cold in New Jersey, May 31, 1997
- Cold in Pennsylvania, May 31, 1997
- Tornado in Oregon, May 31, 1997
- Flooding in Indiana, May 31, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Florida, May 31, 1997
More
Every storm in Montana in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, May 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5600162.