An isolated severe thunderstorm developed over Beaverhead County. Wind gusts in excess of 60 mph was reported.
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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.
The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.
An isolated severe thunderstorm developed over Beaverhead County. Wind gusts in excess of 60 mph was reported.
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 Jul 24, 1:29 PM MST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 229 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 .DISCUSSION... FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... SHORT TERM FORECAST IS RATHER UNSETTLED FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW TRACKS INTO NORTH IDAHO AND THEN STALLS OUT OVER THE WEEKEND. THE UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE LOCATED OVER MONTANA AND SHOULD ALLOW FOR ENHANCED LIFT OF STORMS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THERE COULD BE SOME RESIDUAL SHOWERS THAT APPEAR OVERNIGHT OVER THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REMAIN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED BUT WILL GENERALLY INITIATE OFF OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN DURING PEAK HEATING. BY SUNDAY THE LOW WILL START TO MOVE OFF...UNFORTUNATELY THE MODELS HAVE NOT BEEN IN AGREEMENT AT ALL ABOUT THE TRACK IT WILL TAKE. HAVE LEFT PRECIP AT CHANCE FOR THIS DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY AND WILL MONITOR FOR CHANGES. SUK SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS IN BETTER AGREEMENT FOR THE START OF THE PERIOD BUT QUICKLY DIVERGE WITH THE DETAILS. BOTH THE EUROPEAN AND GFS START WITH A CLOSED LOW OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA. THE CLOSED LOW QUICKLY FILLS AND OPENS INTO AN UPPER TROF MONDAY AND THEN WEAKENS AS IT MOVES SOUTH. A BUILDING UPPER RIDGE OVER THE WEST COAST AND A SLOW MOVING CLOSED UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN CANADA WILL MAINTAIN AN UNSETTLED NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE AREA WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR SEASONAL AVERAGES. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...MODELS SHOW AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST DURING THE PERIOD FOR A MOSTLY DRY AND WARM WEATHER PATTERN. EXCEPT FOR ISOLATED SHOWERS AND AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. WILLIAMSON DC && .AVIATION... UPDATED 1800Z. A COMPACT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY OVER NE WA WILL DRIFT EAST AND STALL OVER NORTHERN ID DURING THE NEXT 24 HRS. THIS WILL PROVIDE AN INCREASINGLY MOIST AND UNSTABLE SW FLOW ALOFT WHILE EASTERLY FLOW REMAINS AT THE SURFACE. EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH GREATEST COVERAGE INITIALLY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...SPREADING EAST INTO CENTRAL AND SW MT LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AREA LEAST IMPACTED WILL BE THE KHVR TERMINAL WHERE VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST. VFR CONDITIONS WILL ALSO PREVAIL AT REMAINING TERMINALS...HOWEVER LOCAL MVFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. && .FIRE WEATHER... LOW AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND...ALONG WITH A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. RIGHT NOW...MOST THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY LOOKS TO BE A BIT WET...SO HOPEFULLY ANY LIGHTNING STARTS WILL BE ABLE TO BE PUT OUT QUICKLY. HOWEVER...ANY LIGHTNING STRIKES THAT OCCUR WELL AWAY FROM THE PARENT STORM COULD BE A PROBLEM ALONG WITH ERRATIC GUSTY OUTFLOWS FROM THE STORMS. ADDITIONALLY SURFACE WINDS WILL BE FAIRLY LIGHT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THUS NO FIRE WEATHER WATCH PLANNED FOR AT THIS TIME. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 58 91 57 88 / 30 20 20 30 CTB 54 87 54 81 / 40 20 20 30 HLN 60 94 60 91 / 30 20 30 30 BZN 54 95 55 93 / 30 20 30 30 WEY 45 79 46 80 / 20 30 40 50 DLN 54 86 52 84 / 30 20 20 30 HVR 57 96 57 91 / 10 10 10 20 LWT 54 89 55 86 / 20 10 20 30 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...SUK LONG TERM...HOENISCH AVIATION...HOENISCH WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 303 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 MTZ008>010-012-014-015-046-048>050-052>055-252115- BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-CASCADE- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-EASTERN PONDERA- SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN- JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 303 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH TODAY. A FEW STORMS COULD BE STRONG THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING STRONG WINDS AND HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A FEW STORMS COULD BE SEVERE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ011-013-044-045-047-051-252115- HILL-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-BLAINE-FERGUS- 303 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM MDT TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FROM THE SOUTHWEST ACROSS MONTANA TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST...THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A FEW STORMS COULD BE SEVERE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
141 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009
MTZ014-052-242030-
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK MT-JEFFERSON MT-
141 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK AND
NORTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM MDT...
AT 137 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WALKERVILLE...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF
BUTTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 47 MPH...QUARTER
INCH SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM AS
IT PASSED THROUGH THE BUTTE AREA.
HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ELK PARK...
BASIN...
BOULDER...
WICKES...
CORBIN...
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 4634 11249 4633 11247 4639 11241 4641 11233
4652 11232 4665 11218 4637 11182 4602 11246
4604 11248 4609 11248 4613 11253 4616 11253
4618 11259 4623 11260
TIME...MOT...LOC 1939Z 220DEG 29KT 4611 11254SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
157 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009
MTZ008-015-052-242045-
BEAVERHEAD MT-JEFFERSON MT-MADISON MT-
157 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN MADISON...NORTHERN
BEAVERHEAD AND EXTREME SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM
MDT...
AT 156 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES SOUTH OF DIVIDE...OR 25 MILES WEST OF
SHERIDAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RURAL NORTHWESTERN MADISON COUNTY...
RURAL NORTHERN BEAVERHEAD COUNTY...
RURAL SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY...
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 4569 11272 4564 11269 4563 11265 4569 11253
4576 11250 4574 11246 4575 11220 4582 11241
4574 11209 4546 11269 4560 11286
TIME...MOT...LOC 1957Z 231DEG 11KT 4558 11267SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 221 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 MTZ008-015-242100- BEAVERHEAD MT-MADISON MT- 221 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN MADISON AND CENTRAL BEAVERHEAD COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM MDT... AT 220 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 17 MILES WEST OF DILLON...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... DILLON... THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. LAT...LON 4543 11238 4520 11226 4502 11304 4519 11313 TIME...MOT...LOC 2021Z 248DEG 29KT 4514 11296
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
256 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0254 PM HAIL DILLON 45.22N 112.63W
07/24/2009 E0.50 INCH BEAVERHEAD MT TRAINED SPOTTER
HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS.
&&
SAUCIERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 300 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 MTZ014-052-242145- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK MT-JEFFERSON MT- 300 PM MDT FRI JUL 24 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN LEWIS AND CLARK AND EXTREME NORTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM MDT... AT 300 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES WEST OF HELENA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...HELENA. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 4701 11204 4689 11171 4649 11209 4658 11232 TIME...MOT...LOC 2100Z 208DEG 21KT 4662 11214 MLS
The Missoula radar (KMSX), 228 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:10 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 70 mph at the Dillon ASOS site.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, July 2009
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: 174456.