Hail, Fergus
- When
- June 16, 2:10 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, Forestgrove
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.000, -109.080
A severe thunderstorm dropped 1.75 inch diameter hail at Forest Grove.
Hail in Montana, June 16, 2008
A severe thunderstorm developed over Fergus County during the midafternoon hours of the 16th. Hail the size of golf balls was reported.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
A severe thunderstorm developed over Fergus County during the midafternoon hours of the 16th. Hail the size of golf balls was reported.
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 16, 1:51 PM MST, 19 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 16, 1:51 PM MST, 19 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 251 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008 .DISCUSSION... THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AS AN INSTABILITY AXIS SETS UP OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. WEAK SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCES PROPAGATING THROUGH THE RIDGE WILL PROVIDE CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR STORMS THROUGH TONIGHT...AS SURFACE DEWPOINTS FROM 45 TO 50 DEG F CONTINUE TO BE POOLED INTO NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. WITH STRONG MEAN FLOW OF 35 TO 45 KTS BETWEEN 700 AND 500 MB...AND STEEP LAPSE RATES BELOW 700 MB...STRONG AND POSSIBLY SEVERE WIND GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH STORMS...ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL MONTANA. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL TAPER OFF THIS EVENING...WITH THE LOSS OF INSTABILITY. AS THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS SLIDES EAST OF THE REGION TONIGHT...SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW...WITH ADDITIONAL MOISTURE...WILL SET UP OVER THE FORECAST AREA. OPERATIONAL MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY FOR STRONG STORMS OVER CENTRAL...AS WELL AS SOUTHWEST...MONTANA FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS. DEEP LAYER MEAN FLOW WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF ORGANIZED STORMS WITH A GUSTY WIND AND SMALL HAIL THREAT...AS WELL AS FOR AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM...BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. COHEN WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...CWA ON WESTERN BOUNDARY OF BROAD UPPER RIDGE WITH SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THIS PERIOD. MOISTURE IS FAIRLY MINIMAL BUT ENOUGH TO KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTN/EVE THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THOUGH COVERAGE WILL BE SPOTTY AT BEST. TEMPERATURES HOLDING STEADY WED THRU FRI WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER CONDITIONS ALONG ROCKY MTN FRONT ON SAT AS WEAK UPPER TROF SKIRTS US/CAN BORDER. WARANAUSKAS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...CURRENT SUITE OF GUIDANCE DEPICTS A FAIRLY STAGNANT LARGE SCALE PATTERN FOR DAYS 7 AND 8...WITH A PERSISTENT CLOSED AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. THIS CLOSED LOW WILL MAINTAIN SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT OVER OUR FORECAST AREA...AND LIKELY RESULT IN A CONTINUATION OF WEAK ATMOSPHERE STABILITY. CONSEQUENTLY...A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS ANTICIPATED DURING BOTH DAYS...PARTICULARLY NEAR PEAK DAYTIME HEATING. TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE NEAR THE SEASONAL AVERAGE DURING THIS TIME AS WELL. ZUMPFE && .AVIATION... WIDESPREAD VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON. UNSTABLE CONDITIONS ARE INCREASING ACROSS THE REGION AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS FROM 21Z TO 03Z. HAVE INCLUDED MENTION OF VCTS AT KBZN AND KLWT BUT OTHER TERMINALS DO NOT LOOK FAVORABLE ENOUGH AT THIS TIME FOR ANY MENTION. WILL UPDATE DISCUSSION AND INDIVIDUAL TAFS ONCE BETTER TIMING OF POTENTIAL STORMS IS DETERMINED. MPJ && .HYDROLOGY... CONTINUED SNOW MELT WILL CAUSE ELEVATED WATER LEVELS ON AREA RIVERS...CREEKS...AND STREAMS. RIVER LEVELS HAVE RISEN ABOVE BANKFULL ON THE SMITH RIVER 13 MILES SOUTH OF ULM AND NEAR INTERSTATE 90 IN SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY...AND RISES HAVE ALSO BEEN NOTED ON BADGER CREEK NEAR BROWNING AND THE SUN RIVER WEST OF GREAT FALLS. A FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SMITH RIVER AND OTHER SMALL STREAMS IN CASCADE...BROADWATER...GALLATIN... JEFFERSON...AND MADISON COUNTIES. OTHER AREAS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED THROUGH THE WEEK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 49 82 51 77 / 20 20 20 20 CTB 46 79 48 75 / 10 10 10 20 HLN 50 87 52 83 / 10 20 20 20 BZN 49 85 48 82 / 20 20 20 20 WEY 41 77 41 76 / 20 20 20 20 DLN 47 81 47 79 / 10 20 20 20 HVR 50 84 51 79 / 20 10 20 10 LWT 47 78 47 73 / 20 20 20 20 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. ...SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 PM MDT TUESDAY FOR CASCADE COUNTY (MTZ012)... ...SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM MDT TUESDAY FOR BROADWATER...GALLATIN...JEFFERSON...AND MADISON COUNTIES (MTZ007...MTZ031...MTZ043...AND MTZ057)... && SHORT TERM...COHEN LONG TERM...WARANAUSKAS/ZUMPFE AVIATION...MPJ WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 16, 11:32 AM MST, 2 hours 38 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008 MTZ012-171230- CASCADE- 1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR CASCADE COUNTY. MINOR FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE SMITH RIVER...ABOUT 13 MILES SOUTH OF ULM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CASCADE COUNTY UNTIL 1230 PM MDT TUESDAY. NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK WILL CAUSE INCREASED SNOWMELT OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS. AS A RESULT...RIVER... CREEK...AND STREAM LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. THE MAIN AREAS OF CONCERN WILL BE NEAR THE MOUNTAINS IN CENTRAL MONTANA. THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED FOR ADDITIONAL FLOOD HIGHLIGHTS. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ008>010-014-015-046-048>055-171230- BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-EASTERN PONDERA- SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS- JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK WILL CAUSE INCREASED SNOWMELT OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS. AS A RESULT...RIVER... CREEK...AND STREAM LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. THE MAIN AREAS OF CONCERN WILL BE ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...NEAR THE MOUNTAINS IN CENTRAL MONTANA...AND ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD HIGHLIGHTS. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ011-013-044-045-047-171230- HILL-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-BLAINE- 1232 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. COHEN
The radar
The Billings radar (KBLX), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:12 UTC.
Event by event
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Hail in New York, June 16, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, June 16, 2008
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, June 16, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, June 16, 2008
- Flood and Hail in Oklahoma, June 16 to 17, 2008
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Pennsylvania, June 16, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, June 16, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, June 16, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, June 16, 2008
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Texas, June 16 to 17, 2008
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, June 16, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Massachusetts, June 16, 2008
More
Every storm in Montana in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2008
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: 109920.