Montana, 2000

Damaging Winds in Montana, July 23, 2000

July 23, 2000 · NWS BYZ · 13 events in 6 counties and zones

A cold front moved through south central Montana during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 23rd. Very little moisture was present at the surface.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$39,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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 BYZ wrote it up.

A cold front moved through south central Montana during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 23rd. Very little moisture was present at the surface. As a result...high-based thunderstorms developed which produced strong dry microburst winds in many areas.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stillwater

When
July 23, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Stillwater County, 4 mi S of Rapelje
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with large trees downed. Roof blown off.

Thunderstorm Wind, Yellowstone

When
July 23, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, Laurel
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.937, -108.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage and power outage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Yellowstone

When
July 23, 6:15 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, Billings
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.937, -108.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with 55-60 mile per hour winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When
July 23, 7:30 PM MST
Where
Big Horn County, 4 mi SE of Hardin
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with 60-70 mile per hour winds. Large trees downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When
July 23, 7:30 PM MST
Where
Big Horn County, Hardin
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage. Large tree downed. Roof damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When
July 23, 7:50 PM MST
Where
Big Horn County, Crow Agency
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with 60 mile per hour wind gust

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When
July 23, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Big Horn County, 5 mi E of Hardin
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with 60 mph wind gust. Power outage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When
July 23, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Big Horn County, 15 mi E of Crow Agency
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

60 mph wind gust at a RAWS station at Wolf Mountain.

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When
July 23, 8:10 PM MST
Where
Big Horn County, Busby
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with 60 mph winds. Trees downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rosebud

When
July 23, 8:25 PM MST
Where
Rosebud County, Ashland
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with 70 mph wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rosebud

When
July 23, 8:40 PM MST
Where
Rosebud County, Lame Deer
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

73 mph thunderstorm wind gust from a RAWS station at Badger Peak.

Thunderstorm Wind, Powder River

When
July 23, 9:40 PM MST
Where
Powder River County, Broadus
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind damage with 70 mph wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carter

When
July 23, 10:20 PM MST
Where
Carter County, Mill Iron
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.517, -104.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tree damage with 60-70 mph winds

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

More

Every storm in Montana in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, July 2000

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: 5164195, 5164196, 5164197, 5164198, 5164199, 5164200, 5164201, 5164206, 5164202, 5164203, 5164205, 5164204, 5164295.