Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, June 1, 2005

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, June 1, 2005
Start: 2005-06-01T13:30
End: 2005-06-01T18:48
Location: Montana

June 1, 2005 · NWS BYZ · 18 events in 3 counties and zones

10 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 3 funnel cloud, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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 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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 1, 1:18 PM MST, 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 1, 1:18 PM MST, 12 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
218 PM MDT WED JUN 1 2005

.SHORT TERM...VALID FOR THU AND FRI...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 8 PM FOR ZONES EAST AND
SOUTH OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATED
THESE AREAS HAD BROKEN OUT ALLOWING SUNSHINE TO DESTABILIZE
AIRMASS. UPPER LOW OVER SW MT PROGGED TO COMBINE WITH UPPER LOW
OVER SASKATCEWAN THIS EVENING. LEFT FRONT QUADRANT OF 250 MB 90 KT
JET WILL SLIDE NE THIS EVENING AFFECTING WATCH AREA. 19Z UNR
SOUNDING SHOWED 1800 J/KG CAPE...-6 DEG C LI AND WBZ 7000 FT.
SOUNDING ALSO HAD 272 M2/S2 HELICITY...FAVORABLE FOR ROTATING
SUPERCELLS WITH POSSIBLE TORNADOES. RIW HAD ALREADY ISSUED TOR/S
BASED ON RADAR SIGNATURES.

HAD HIGHEST POPS NE TONIGHT BASED ON BAND OF PRECIP THAT HAD BEEN
SLOWLY MOVING NE THROUGH THE DAY. ELSEWHERE HAD SCATTERED POPS.
ADJMET HAD GOOD HANDLE ON WINDS SO USED IT FOR FORECAST.

FOR REMAINDER OF FORECAST...UPPER LOW WITH SHORTWAVES MOVING
THROUGH IT WILL SPIN OVER N MT/S CANADA KEEPING SCATTERED PRECIP
OVER AREA THROUGH FRI NIGHT. MADE ONLY SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO
FORECAST. ARTHUR

.LONG TERM...VALID FOR SAT...SUN...MON...TUE...WED...

SATURDAY LOOKS FAIRLY UNSTABLE BUT NOT VERY DYNAMIC AS AN UPPER
LEVEL LOW IS EXPECTED TO BE SIUTATION OVER CENTRAL MONTANA.
SURFACE PATTERN DOES NOT FORTELL ANY REAL POTENTIAL FOR
DOWNSLOPISH SURFACE FLOW AND 700 MB EVEN INDICATES A BIT OF
UPSLOPE OVER THE BELTS AND SNOWIES WHICH MAY SURFACE AS AN
INITIATION REGION FOR ANY CONVECTION. AS THIS SYSTEM DEPARTS THE
ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN TAKES A BREAK ON SUNDAY AND EARLY MONDAY AS
ONE SYSTEM DEPARTS TO THE NORTHEAST AND A STRONG SYSTEM DIGS IN
ALONG THE EASTERN PACIFIC. THIS SPREADS A BIT OF RIDGING INTO THE
AREA WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES. THERE MAY BE SOME RESIDUAL SOIL
MOISTURE RELATED TOWERING CUMULUS BUT HOW MUCH OF THIS ACTIVITY
WOULD EXPAND INTO FULL SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE
LIMITED. UPPER LOW ALONG THE WEST COAST EXPECTED TO DIG INTO
WESTERN OREGON MONDAY WHICH WILL ALLOW SOME BETTER DEVELOPMENT
OVER THE WESTERN ZONES AS DIFFLUENT FLOW BEGINS TO DEVELOP ALOFT.
PATTERN LOOKS WET AND CONVECTIVE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY THOUGH
CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK ON THE GFS MAY HAVE IT DEEPENING THE FIRST
STRONG SHORTWAVE ON TUESDAY A BIT MORE THAN REALITY. BORSUM

&&

.AVIATION...

UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE KEEPS UNSTABLE AND MOISTURE AIR OVER THE
AREA. A STRONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN
MONTANA DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE COLD TEMPERATURES ARE ALLOWING
FOR MVFR CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW CIELINGS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS.
EXPECT CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE DURING THE EVENING. BORSUM

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...

    THU     FRI     SAT     SUN     MON     TUE     WED
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 044/064 045/065 047/068 047/073 048/075 052/075 051/073
    43/T    22/T    33/T    22/T    22/T    33/T    32/T
LVM 039/056 041/060 041/063 038/068 042/073 045/071 042/069
    53/T    22/T    33/T    22/T    22/T    33/T    33/T
HDN 044/067 045/068 047/071 048/076 049/076 051/076 050/075
    53/T    22/T    33/T    22/T    22/T    23/T    32/T
MLS 047/067 049/069 049/070 049/075 051/076 050/076 049/075
    +3/T    32/T    33/T    22/T    22/T    23/T    32/T
4BQ 046/070 047/069 045/072 048/074 051/074 052/074 051/073
    53/T    43/T    33/T    22/T    22/T    23/T    32/T
BHK 047/069 047/069 047/070 048/072 050/073 053/073 051/072
    +3/T    33/T    33/T    22/T    22/T    23/T    32/T
SHR 041/067 040/064 043/067 043/072 045/076 048/076 047/075
    53/T    23/T    33/T    22/T    22/T    22/T    22/T

&&

.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 373 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS
      EVENING FOR ZONES 30>33-36>38-57-58.
WY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 373 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS
      EVENING FOR ZONES 98-99.

&&

WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS

The radar

The Billings radar (KBLX), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 3 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Big Horn

When: June 1, 1:30 PM MST
Where: Big Horn County, Ft Smith
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 45.300, -107.933

Hail covered roads

Hail, Big Horn

When: June 1, 2:15 PM MST
Where: Big Horn County, 3 mi S of Garryowen
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.467, -107.417

Car windows broken on Interstate 90

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When: June 1, 2:20 PM MST
Where: Big Horn County, Garryowen
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.517, -107.417

Hail, Carter

When: June 1, 4:50 PM MST
Where: Carter County, 12 mi SE of Ekalaka
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.767, -104.367

Hail, Carter

When: June 1, 4:55 PM MST
Where: Carter County, 10 mi SE of Ekalaka
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.783, -104.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Carter

When: June 1, 5:30 PM MST
Where: Carter County, 10 mi N of Ridgeway
Measured: 77 kt (89 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.633, -104.517

Hail, Carter

When: June 1, 5:47 PM MST
Where: Carter County, 17 mi E of Ekalaka
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.883, -104.200

Funnel Cloud, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:15 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, 2 mi SW of Baker
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Small funnel for about two mintues

Hail, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:17 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, 4 mi S of Baker
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.317, -104.283

Thunderstorm Wind, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:20 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, Baker
Measured: 68 kt (78 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.367, -104.283

Thunderstorm Wind, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:22 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, Baker
Measured: 86 kt (99 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.367, -104.283

Funnel Cloud, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:22 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, Baker
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Brief funnel cloud

Hail, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:22 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, Baker
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 46.367, -104.283

Hail, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:22 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, 2 mi SW of Baker
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.350, -104.317

Hail, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:27 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, 2 mi N of Baker
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.400, -104.283

Hail, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:31 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, 5 mi W of Baker
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.367, -104.383

Funnel Cloud, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:31 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, 5 mi W of Baker
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Brief funnel cloud

Thunderstorm Wind, Fallon

When: June 1, 6:48 PM MST
Where: Fallon County, 10 mi N of Baker
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.517, -104.283

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, June 2005

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: 5452502, 5452503, 5452504, 5452505, 5452506, 5452507, 5452566, 5452567, 5452568, 5452569, 5452570, 5452571, 5452572, 5452573, 5452574, 5452575, 5452576, 5452577.