Name: Damaging Winds and Heavy Rain in Montana, July 24, 2006
Start: 2006-07-24T05:34
End: 2006-07-24T17:20
Location: Montana

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 TFX wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms produced a wind gust to 73 mph at Loma 1N (Loma DOT site), a gust to 70 mph at Carter 24N, a gust to 65 mph at Big Sandy and a gust to 60 mph at Fort Benton 16E. The storms downed numerous power lines and damaged the roof at the Big Sandy Airport. Heavy rain and hail were also reported. Virgelle reported 1.25 inches of rain in 30 minutes and Carter 27NW reported a storm total of 1.6 inches of rain. A funnel cloud was reported by the public near Vaughn.

The radar

The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Chouteau

When: July 24, 5:34 AM MST
Where: Chouteau County, 27 mi NW of Carter
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.881, -110.435 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Chouteau

When: July 24, 3:30 PM MST
Where: Chouteau County, Big Sandy
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 48.183, -110.117

Funnel Cloud, Cascade

When: July 24, 3:55 PM MST
Where: Cascade County, 3 mi NW of Cascade
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.308, -111.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Chouteau

When: July 24, 4:15 PM MST
Where: Chouteau County, 24 mi N of Carter
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.133, -110.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Chouteau

When: July 24, 4:44 PM MST
Where: Chouteau County, 1 mi N of Loma
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates: 47.950, -110.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Chouteau

When: July 24, 5:20 PM MST
Where: Chouteau County, 16 mi E of Ft Benton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.817, -110.317

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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

More

Every storm in Montana in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, July 2006

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: 5521509, 5521507, 5521510, 5521508, 5521505, 5521506.