Tornadoes and Hail in Montana, July 20, 2001

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Montana, July 20, 2001
Start: 2001-07-20T08:40
End: 2001-07-20T21:15
Location: Montana

July 20, 2001 · NWS GGW · 41 events in 11 counties and zones

A large supercell formed in Southwestern Phillips County and headed east across southern Valley County. The storm produced a tornado that crossed from Phillips County into Valley County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $1.8 million
Crop damage: $755,000
Events: 41

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 GGW wrote it up.

A large supercell formed in Southwestern Phillips County and headed east across southern Valley County. The storm produced a tornado that crossed from Phillips County into Valley County. The tornado dissipated as the storm moved east, but golfball size hail was reported for 20 minutes at The Pines Recreation Area. The storm crossed over the east side of Ft. Peck Lake and formed another tornado near the Rock Creek Recreation area. The tornado then crossed Highway 24, in McCone County. Four inch diameter hail was reported with this storm at the time of the tornado. The tornado continued in a southeast path towards the town of Circle. The last known location of the tornado before it dissipated was 22 miles northwest of Circle. Downburst winds and golfball size hail then became the more significant threat from this storm. The hail and high winds caused a large area of 100 percent crop damage from 10 miles north and northwest of Circle to Lindsay. The damage swath was 1 to 5 miles wide. Other large hail and high wind reports were received from the Richey and Bloomfield areas in northwestern Dawson County as well. 25 large steel electrical towers were blown over in the area between Circle and Richey, and 25 wooden electrical poles were snapped also. The storm continued southeast toward Glendive and then followed Interstate 94 into North Dakota. No more substantial damage was reported once the storm passed through the Lindsay area. A few smaller tornados were reported by law enforcement officials northwest and north of the Glendive area, but they did not cause any damage and were short lived.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 20, 8:00 AM MST, 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 8:00 AM MST, 40 minutes before

NORTHEAST MONTANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
900 AM MDT FRI JUL 20 2001

...NO CHANGES TO CURRENT FORECAST...

STORMS ARE STARTING EARLY AGAIN TODAY AGAIN WITH SEVERE WEATHER
PARAMETERS IN PLACE AS WELL. NEW ETA 500MB VORT PATTERN INDICATING THIS
FIRST ROUND WILL GO THROUGH HERE OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 4 HOURS...WITH MAYBE
A RE-FIRE LATER IN THE AFTERNOON/EVENING. SPC/S MODERATE RISK LOOKS
GOOD. A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED IN ANTICIPATION
OF THE VOLATILE CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR TODAY. JAMBA

EXTENDED...MID RANGE MODELS SUGGESTING SLIGHT SHIFT IN PATTERN WITH
BASE OF PACIFIC TROF CUTTING OFF AND FLOW ACROSS NORTHERN TIER OF
STATE BECOMING MORE ZONAL UNDER OMEGA BLOCK OVER CANADA. WITH FLOW
TURNING WEST SHOULD CUT OFF MOISTURE FEED OVER THE MOUNTAINS FOR
DRIER PATTERN FOR EASTERN MONTANA BY MID WEEK. ONLY CHANGE TO
EXTENDED WILL BE TO ADD SATURDAY NIGHT PERIOD TO EMPHASIZE CHANGE OF
THUNDERSTORMS THAT NIGHT. EBERT

KGGW /083 062/088 064/085 057/082 058/083 058/083 058/084
      TTTTTBT  90543/9033323
KGDV /085 065/089 064/085 060/084 060/084 060/084 057/085
      TTTTTBT  90543/9033323

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 7:40 AM MST, 1 hour before

MTZ016>027-059>062-202200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
840 AM MDT FRI JUL 20 2001

...A GOOD CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA TODAY...

A MOIST...UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA COMBINED
WITH AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE PUSHING ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WILL
BRING THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF THEM SEVERE. ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WILL BRING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAIN. THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL STARTED THIS MORNING AND WILL LIKELY
LAST INTO THE EVENING HOURS TONIGHT.

ANYONE WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED TODAY SHOULD LISTEN TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO...OR ANOTHER MEDIA OUTLET...TO KEEP POST ED ON ANY WATCHES
OR WARNINGS THAT MAY BE ISSUED TODAY.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED FROM OUR WEB SITE AT:
HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/GLASGOW

TFJ

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 7 tornado, 3 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Phillips

When: July 20, 8:40 AM MST
Where: Phillips County, 2 mi S of Bowdoin
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.350, -107.600

Hail, Phillips

When: July 20, 8:46 AM MST
Where: Phillips County, 10 mi S of Malta
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.200, -107.867

Hail, Phillips

When: July 20, 11:04 AM MST
Where: Phillips County, 15 mi SW of Saco
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.317, -107.567

Hail, Daniels

When: July 20, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Daniels County, 20 mi S of Peerless
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.517, -105.817

Hail, Sheridan

When: July 20, 12:16 PM MST
Where: Sheridan County, 6 mi W of Reserve
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.600, -104.583

Hail, Sheridan

When: July 20, 1:10 PM MST
Where: Sheridan County, 13 mi S of Plentywood
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.600, -104.567

Tornado, Phillips

When: July 20, 2:20 PM MST to 2:55 PM MST
Where: Phillips County, 1 mi E of Sun Prairie
Rating: F0
Path length: 9 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 47.883, -107.650

A tornado developed 11 miles east of Sun Prairie and moved into Valley County. The tornado moved through open prairie and caused no damage.

Tornado, Valley

When: July 20, 2:55 PM MST to 3:20 PM MST
Where: Valley County, 40 mi SW of Tampico
Rating: F0
Path length: 20 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 47.883, -107.433

A tornado moved into Southwest Valley County and moved east before dissipating. It moved through open prairie and caused no damage. The storm and wall cloud were seen from the National Weather Service office over 35 miles away.

Thunderstorm Wind, Valley

When: July 20, 3:51 PM MST
Where: Valley County, 40 mi SW of Glasgow
Measured: 84 kt (97 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.783, -107.250

Hail, Valley

When: July 20, 4:00 PM MST
Where: Valley County, 5 mi S of Opheim
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.783, -106.400

Hail, Valley

When: July 20, 4:10 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where: Valley County, 24 mi S of Glasgow
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $45,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.850, -106.633

Large hail broke out windows from homes and dented vehicles at The Pines Recreation area.

Funnel Cloud, Valley

When: July 20, 4:15 PM MST
Where: Valley County, Opheim
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Valley

When: July 20, 4:20 PM MST
Where: Valley County, 10 mi S of Opheim
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.700, -106.400

Tornado, Garfield

When: July 20, 4:20 PM MST to 4:35 PM MST
Where: Garfield County, Haxby Hoolie Arpt
Rating: F0
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.833, -106.483

Tornado reported near Haxby Point.

Tornado, Daniels

When: July 20, 4:31 PM MST
Where: Daniels County, 8 mi S of Scobey
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.683, -105.417

Brief tornado occurred south of Scobey.

Hail, McCone

When: July 20, 4:35 PM MST
Where: McCone County, 30 mi WSW of Vida
Measured: 4.5 in hail
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.667, -106.100

A Montana Department of Transportation truck got caught in large hail along Highway 24, near Rock Creek. The truck had several large hail dents in it, and the windshield was shattered.

Tornado, McCone

When: July 20, 4:35 PM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: McCone County, 30 mi WSW of Vida
Rating: F0
Path length: 23 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.667, -106.100

The tornado moved into the county from extreme northeastern Garfield County. A storm chaser followed the storm and reported that it had multiple vortices. The last seen location of the tornado before it dissipated was 22 miles northwest of Circle. The tornado moved through unpopulated rangeland areas and no damage was reported.

Hail, Garfield

When: July 20, 4:35 PM MST
Where: Garfield County, 45 mi NE of Jordan
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 47.783, -106.200

Large hail broke out windows of homes at Rock Creek Recreation area. Several vehicles also had hail damage.

Funnel Cloud, Daniels

When: July 20, 4:43 PM MST
Where: Daniels County, 6 mi ESE of Scobey
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.784, -105.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, McCone

When: July 20, 5:00 PM MST
Where: McCone County, 32 mi W of Vida
Measured: 4.5 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.833, -106.183

Hail, Garfield

When: July 20, 5:00 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
Where: Garfield County, 45 mi NE of Jordan
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.783, -106.200

Hail, McCone

When: July 20, 5:30 PM MST
Where: McCone County, 20 mi SW of Vida
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.633, -105.800

Thunderstorm Wind, McCone

When: July 20, 5:35 PM MST to 6:10 PM MST
Where: McCone County, 10 mi NW of Circle
Measured: 98 kt (113 mph)
Property damage: $1.6 million
Crop damage: $500,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 47.517, -105.750

Damaging downburst winds blew down 25 steel electric towers as well as 25 wooden power poles. It also caused 100 percent crop damage over a 20 mile long area starting from 10 miles north and northwest of Circle, then southeast along Highway 200 to the Dawson County line. The crop damage ranged from 1 to 5 miles wide. Several farms had significant damage to buildings and property. The town of Circle had the grain elevators crushed in, with significant wind damage to other portions of the elevator buildings. Metal sheeting from the grain elevators was found downstream nearly a mile away. Many houses and vehicles had windows broken or shattered, and large trees were uprooted. The Circle Airport had a measured wind gust of 113 mph.

Hail, McCone

When: July 20, 5:40 PM MST
Where: McCone County, 10 mi NW of Circle
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.517, -105.750

Hail, Dawson

When: July 20, 6:15 PM MST
Where: Dawson County, 2 mi NE of Bloomfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.433, -104.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Dawson

When: July 20, 6:15 PM MST
Where: Dawson County, 2 mi NE of Bloomfield
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.433, -104.900

Funnel Cloud, Dawson

When: July 20, 6:15 PM MST
Where: Dawson County, 4 mi W of Richey
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.266, -104.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, McCone

When: July 20, 6:16 PM MST
Where: McCone County, 12 mi SSE of Circle
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.250, -105.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Sheridan

When: July 20, 6:20 PM MST
Where: Sheridan County, 1 mi N of Antelope
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.700, -104.450

Hail, Sheridan

When: July 20, 6:20 PM MST
Where: Sheridan County, 1 mi N of Antelope
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.700, -104.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Dawson

When: July 20, 6:20 PM MST to 6:40 PM MST
Where: Dawson County, 12 mi NW of Lindsay
Measured: 90 kt (104 mph)
Property damage: $75,000
Crop damage: $250,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.333, -105.333

The damaging downburst winds that occurred in McCone County continued into Dawson County. Several farms along Highway 200 had significant damage to outbuildings, and well as to equipment. Crops were 100 percent destroyed in a 1 to 5 mile wide swath from 12 miles northwest of Lindsay to the town of Lindsay. A home in Linsday also had the roof blown off.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When: July 20, 6:25 PM MST
Where: Richland County, 20 mi NW of Lambert
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.550, -104.767

Thunderstorm Wind, Roosevelt

When: July 20, 6:27 PM MST
Where: Roosevelt County, 5 mi E of Poplar
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.100, -105.083

Tornado, Dawson

When: July 20, 6:53 PM MST to 6:55 PM MST
Where: Dawson County, 10 mi NW of Glendive
Rating: F0
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 15 yd
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 47.200, -104.883

Tornado reported by Dawson County Sheriffs Department. The tornado occurred in open prairie and did not cause any damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Roosevelt

When: July 20, 7:10 PM MST to 7:15 PM MST
Where: Roosevelt County, Culbertson
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 48.150, -104.517

High winds downed small trees, and broke large branches off of trees in the Culbertson area.

Hail, Prairie

When: July 20, 7:15 PM MST
Where: Prairie County, 20 mi N of Terry
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 47.067, -105.300

Hail, Prairie

When: July 20, 7:21 PM MST
Where: Prairie County, 21 mi NNW of Terry
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.067, -105.467

Tornado, Dawson

When: July 20, 7:23 PM MST
Where: Dawson County, 5 mi N of Glendive
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.167, -104.733

Brief tornado touchdown reported by spotter north of Glendive.

Hail, Prairie

When: July 20, 7:30 PM MST to 7:40 PM MST
Where: Prairie County, 15 mi NW of Terry
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 46.933, -105.517

Thunderstorm Wind, Wibaux

When: July 20, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Wibaux County, 20 mi N of Wibaux
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.267, -104.183

Hail, Dawson

When: July 20, 9:15 PM MST
Where: Dawson County, 3 mi SW of Hoyt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.900, -104.900

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
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.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Montana, 2001 Warnings in Montana, July 2001

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: 5262469, 5262470, 5262471, 5262472, 5262473, 5262474, 5262559, 5262560, 5262561, 5262562, 5262563, 5262564, 5262565, 5262566, 5262570, 5262567, 5262568, 5262671, 5262571, 5262569, 5262572, 5262573, 5262655, 5262574, 5262658, 5262659, 5262660, 5262672, 5262656, 5262657, 5262661, 5262663, 5262666, 5262662, 5262664, 5262665, 5262667, 5262673, 5262668, 5262670, and more.