Damaging Winds in Montana, June 4, 2006

Name: Damaging Winds in Montana, June 4, 2006
Start: 2006-06-04T14:30
End: 2006-06-04T18:35
Location: Montana

June 4, 2006 · NWS TFX · 18 events in 12 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 happened

The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms occurred across a large portion of North Central Montana on the 4th. Reported wind gusts include: 76 mph at Havre, 71 mph at Great Falls and Inverness 1W, 66 mph at Hobson, 65 mph at Loma 1N, 64 mph at Roy 1E and at Great Falls 3SW, 63 mph at Cut Bank 3SW and Lewistown 2W, 62 mph at Dunkirk 7NE, 61 mph at Hays 19SW, and 60 mph at Silver City, Craig 5N, Ulm, Cascade 25SE, Bozeman, Conrad, Raynesford 2SE, Chester 15SW, Inverness 15S, Geraldine 13E, Roy 25NE, Chinook 1E, and Hogeland 7W. These storms caused damage to numerous trees as well as some structural damage. The roof of a pizza restaurant in Lewistown was torn off and a ranch home northwest of Hobson had a metal fence blown threw a picture window. Power lines were also downed resulting in some interruption of service.Additionally, a funnel cloud was reported by law enforcement at Black Eagle 1NE with no damage sustained.

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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 4, 1:30 PM MST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 4, 1:30 PM MST, 1 hour before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
230 PM MDT SUN JUN 4 2006

.DISCUSSION...
A PACIFIC COOL FRONT IS QUICKLY APPROACHING THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON...AND THIS FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL CREATE AN ACTIVE WEATHER
NIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN MONTANA.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING THROUGH WESTERN MONTANA AT
2 PM...AND THESE STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL
MONTANA DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND HAIL. CURRENT THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN
EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST AND A PORTION OF CENTRAL MONTANA...WHILE A NEW
THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS LIKELY TO BE ISSUED LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR
EARLY THIS EVENING FOR THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND
PARTS OF EASTERN MONTANA. EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO GRADUALLY COME TO
AND END FROM WEST TO EAST LATE THIS EVENING. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL
COOL TOWARDS FORECASTED LOWS AFTER MIDNIGHT...WHEN SOME CLEARING
TAKES PLACE.

FOR MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...A FAIRLY QUIET WEATHER PATTERN IS
EXPECTED TO RESIDE OVER THE REGION DURING THIS TIME. A NEW UPPER
LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER CENTRAL MONTANA. THIS RIDGE WILL ALLOW
AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES TO SLOWLY WARM BACKUP INTO THE MID 80S...(OR
CLOSE TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL) BY TUESDAY. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL
COOL NICELY DO TO DRY AIR IN PLACE. RIGHT NOW THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO
STABLE AND DRY FOR ANY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY...BUT A VERY ISOLATED
MOUNTAIN SHOWER CAN NOT BE RULED OUT...ESPECIALLY TOWARDS MID WEAK.
BRUSDA

TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TO BUILD OVER
THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROF DIGGING ALONG THE
PACIFIC COAST. RETURN TO A MOIST SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT THURSDAY
NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WITH AN INCREASE IN MOISTURE AND CHANCE
OF PRECIPITATION. WARM TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH A
WET AND COOLING TREND FOR FRIDAY. CAMP

SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...MODELS IN FAIR AGREEMENT DURING THIS
PERIOD. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
SATURDAY. MOST OF THE ENERGY AND MOISTURE WITH THIS SYSTEM GOES
NORTH OF THE AREA. PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES ARE
EXPECTED...WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR
MOST AREAS. WEAK RIDGING ALOFT SUNDAY DRIES ALL BUT THE WESTERN
MOUNTAINS WHERE A WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESULTS IN SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. TEMPERATURES COOL A FEW DEGREES BUT REMAIN NEAR
SEASONAL AVERAGES. EK

&&

.AVIATION...
UPDATED 1803Z
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA IS UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
UNTIL 00Z. AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE IS MOVING ACROSS WESTERN MONTANA
AND WILL BE MOVING INTO CENTRAL MONTANA DURING THE AFTERNOON.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP WITH THE POTENTIAL OF
STRONG...DAMAGING WINDS. GUSTS TO 60KTS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THESE
THUNDERSTORMS. MVFR CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP NEAR THUNDERSTORMS BUT
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ELSEWHERE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
NO HYDROLOGIC PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  50  79  48  82 /  60   0   0   0
CTB  47  77  47  80 /  70   0   0   0
HLN  51  83  51  88 /  60   0  10  10
BZN  49  81  44  86 /  50   0   0   0
WEY  37  76  38  78 /  30   0   0  10
DLN  48  79  46  84 /  30   0   0   0
HVR  53  84  51  87 /  80   0   0   0
LWT  51  79  48  82 /  90   0   0   0

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL MONTANA AND ALL OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA...

&&

SHORT TERM...BRUSDA
LONG TERM...CAMP/EK/ZELZER
AVIATION...ZELZER

WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 4, 8:30 AM MST, 6 hours before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
930 AM MDT SUN JUN 4 2006

MTZ008>015-044>055-051200-
BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-
CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-
TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-
SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-
JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN-
930 AM MDT SUN JUN 4 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER ALL OF NORTH
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER MOST NORTH
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE STORMS
MAY BECOME SEVERE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY IN THE
EVENING...WITH THE MAIN THUNDERSTORM THREATS BEING DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS AND HAIL. THE BEST TIME FRAME FOR THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO
OCCUR IS FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON...UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST
UPDATES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

BRUSDA

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 4, 2:18 PM MST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
318 PM MDT SUN JUN 04 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0309 PM     TSTM WND GST     12 W HELENA             46.60N 112.27W
06/04/2006  M52.00 MPH       LEWIS AND CLARK    MT   MESONET

&&

BRUSDA

The radar

The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis and Clark

When: June 4, 2:30 PM MST
Where: Lewis and Clark County, Silver City
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.750, -112.167

Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade

When: June 4, 3:07 PM MST
Where: Cascade County, Ulm
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.433, -111.517

Funnel Cloud, Cascade

When: June 4, 3:15 PM MST
Where: Cascade County, 1 mi NE of Black Eagle
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 47.308, -111.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Gallatin

When: June 4, 3:37 PM MST
Where: Gallatin County, Bozeman
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 45.683, -111.033

Thunderstorm Wind, Pondera

When: June 4, 3:40 PM MST
Where: Pondera County, Conrad
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 48.167, -111.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade

When: June 4, 3:45 PM MST
Where: Cascade County, 15 mi NE of Tracy
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.567, -110.917

Thunderstorm Wind, Chouteau

When: June 4, 3:48 PM MST
Where: Chouteau County, Floweree
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.733, -111.033

Thunderstorm Wind, Judith Basin

When: June 4, 3:53 PM MST
Where: Judith Basin County, 2 mi SE of Raynesford
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.250, -110.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Liberty

When: June 4, 4:10 PM MST
Where: Liberty County, 15 mi SW of Chester
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.367, -111.183

Thunderstorm Wind, Teton

When: June 4, 4:13 PM MST
Where: Teton County, Dutton
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 47.850, -111.717

Thunderstorm Wind, Hill

When: June 4, 4:20 PM MST
Where: Hill County, 15 mi S of Inverness
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.350, -110.683

Thunderstorm Wind, Toole

When: June 4, 4:30 PM MST
Where: Toole County, 7 mi NE of Dunkirk
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.550, -111.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Chouteau

When: June 4, 4:35 PM MST
Where: Chouteau County, 13 mi E of Geraldine
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.633, -109.967

Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus

When: June 4, 4:40 PM MST
Where: Fergus County, Lewistown Muni Arpt
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 47.050, -109.467

Thunderstorm Wind, Hill

When: June 4, 5:09 PM MST
Where: Hill County, Havre City Co Arpt
Measured: 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 48.533, -109.767

Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus

When: June 4, 5:21 PM MST
Where: Fergus County, 1 mi E of Roy
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.333, -108.917

Thunderstorm Wind, Blaine

When: June 4, 5:40 PM MST
Where: Blaine County, 1 mi E of Chinook
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.583, -109.217

Thunderstorm Wind, Blaine

When: June 4, 6:35 PM MST
Where: Blaine County, 7 mi W of Hogeland
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.850, -108.800

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.
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 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, June 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: 5505443, 5505444, 5505148, 5505445, 5505067, 5505071, 5505446, 5505070, 5505066, 5505068, 5505447, 5505069, 5505074, 5505072, 5505073, 5505146, 5505145, 5505147.