A couple thunderstorms developed over Fergus County.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
A couple thunderstorms developed over Fergus County.
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 2, 10:35 AM MST, 4 hours 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1135 AM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION .UPDATE...LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ARE ALREADY SPREADING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AS THE SURFACE FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION. HAVE UPDATED FORECAST TO INCREASE POPS ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE A PERSISTENT BAND OF SHOWERS STRETCHES FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT TO WESTERN HILL COUNTY. LATEST UPDATES FROM MODELS AND THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER SUGGESTS THAT THE BEST LIKELIHOOD OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS REMAINS OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA. WITH CLOUD COVER AND SHOWERS IN THE AREA ALREADY IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FAVORED AREA FOR STRONG CONVECTION MAY END UP BEING MOSTLY IN BILLINGS AND GLASGOWS FORECAST AREAS. THIS POSSIBILITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED WITH UPDATES TO THE FORECAST BEING MADE IF NECESSARY THROUGH THE DAY. MPJ && .AVIATION... UPDATED 1800Z. MOIST AND UNSTABLE SW FLOW AHEAD OF A PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER MUCH OF THE AREA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER SW MT EARLY THIS AFTERNOON THEN MOVE ENE INTO NE MT BY THIS EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH STRONGER CELLS WITH A SECONDARY AND SOMEWHAT LESSER THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL. KBZN AND KLWT TERMINALS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY STRONGER STORMS. WINDS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL GENERALLY PREVAIL WITH LOCAL MVFR NEAR MORE INTENSE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. CONDITIONS IMPROVE THIS EVENING BEHIND THE FRONT WITH DIMINISHING WINDS AND CLEARING SKIES. HOENISCH && .HYDROLOGY... UPDATED 2020Z. THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR CLEAR CREEK IN BLAINE COUNTY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. CLEAR CREEK IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 24 HOURS OR MORE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 530 AM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012/ TODAY THROUGH MONDAY...FORECAST GENERALLY REMAINS ON TRACK FOR POTENTIALLY SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE TFX CWA. THE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT OVER THE AREA WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY MOIST AND UNSTABLE TODAY AHEAD OF A SHORTWAVE TROUGH. AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL ALSO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS...PROVIDING A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS THE MOIST AIRMASS WARMS AND BECOMES SIGNIFICANTLY UNSTABLE. A CORE OF STRONGER WINDS (JET STREAK) ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE WILL ALSO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...FOR ENHANCED LIFT DYNAMICS AND A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS. THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT EARLY ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND ADJACENT PLAINS WILL HINDER THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THERE. HOWEVER...THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA COULD SEE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OF SOME SORT. PRECIPITABLE WATER WITH THIS SYSTEM IS SIGNIFICANT FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...FOR POTENTIALLY BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE VERY DRY AIR NEAR THE SURFACE FOR POSSIBLY STRONG GUSTY WINDS...THE INCREASED MOISTURE WILL COMBINE WITH THE SIGNIFICANT INSTABILITY TO PROVIDE A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL GROWTH. THE FAVORED AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM DILLON TO GREAT FALLS TO HAVRE...AND ESPECIALLY OVER JUDITH BASIN AND FERGUS COUNTIES. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXIT THE AREA BY EARLY THIS EVENING FOR A DIMINISHING THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS AFTER 6 PM MDT. GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS WILL ALSO DEVELOP BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...BUT THEY WILL LIKELY DIMINISH BY LATE EVENING AS WELL. A WEAK UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN MOVE INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT AND REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH SUNDAY. A FEW WEAK SHOWERS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MONTANA DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...WHILE TEMPERATURES WILL WARM BACK UP TO A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. A DEEPENING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OFF THE PACIFIC COAST WILL THEN BRING AN INCREASINGLY MOIST AND UNSTABLE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT BACK TO THE AREA FOR MONDAY...FOR ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AS TEMPERATURES WARM UP TO AROUND 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. COULSTON MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...EXTENDED PERIOD FORECAST MODELS STILL STRUGGLING TO FIND CONSISTENT SOLUTION FOR EVOLUTION OF DEEP PACIFIC TROF THAT WILL MOVE INTO OUR REGION BEGINNING ON TUES. LATEST MODEL RUNS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THAT TROF AXIS WILL STRETCH FROM CENTRAL WASHINGTON TO NORTH CENTRAL NEVADA WITH LEADING EDGE OF MOISTURE GENERATING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ON TUES AFTN/EVE. BUT BY WED MORNING MODEL SOLUTIONS DIVERGE SIGNIFICANTLY AS THE GFS SWEEPS THE TROF NORTH OF THE US/CAN BORDER KEEPING DRY CONDITIONS OVER MOST OF THE STATE FROM WED THROUGH THE REMINDER OF THE WEEK. MEANWHILE THE EUROPEAN MODEL BRINGS THE TROF INTO THE WESTERN THIRD OF MONTANA...WITH WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION THROUGH WED NIGHT...BEFORE LIFTING THE SYSTEM INTO SOUTHWEST CANADA. IN LINE WITH NATIONAL MODEL GUIDANCE...CURRENT FORECAST GRIDS FAVOR THE EUROPEAN MODEL DETAILS AT THIS TIME SO HAVE KEPT A CHANCE OF SHOWERS...WITH A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS... ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA ON WED THEN GO WITH DRYING CONDITIONS FOR THURS AND FRI. ANOTHER PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO ARRIVE ON SATURDAY WITH SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN THE AFTN. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW-MID 70S ON TUES WILL GIVE WAY TO 60S FOR WED/THUR...THEN GRADUALLY CLIMB BACK TO THE LOW 70S FOR FRI AND SAT. WARANAUSKAS && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 74 45 72 49 / 70 20 20 20 CTB 68 42 69 45 / 60 10 10 30 HLN 76 46 73 50 / 70 30 20 20 BZN 77 43 76 45 / 70 50 20 20 WEY 71 34 69 36 / 60 50 30 20 DLN 75 45 75 48 / 60 40 20 20 HVR 77 46 74 48 / 60 30 10 20 LWT 76 43 71 47 / 80 50 20 20 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WARNING FOR CLEAR CREEK IN BLAINE COUNTY NEAR THE TOWN OF CHINOOK IS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. && WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 418 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 MTZ012-050-051-053>055-032230- CASCADE-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 418 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT TONIGHT. STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLASH FLOODING. MTZ047-032230- BLAINE- 418 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CLEAR CREEK UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLASH FLOODING. MTZ008>011-013>015-044>046-048-049-052-032230- BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-HILL- CHOUTEAU-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-TOOLE- LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- EASTERN TETON-JEFFERSON- 418 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLASH FLOODING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 223 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 MTZ014-022045- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK MT- 223 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY UNTIL 245 PM MDT... AT 220 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES EAST OF LINCOLN...OR 26 MILES NORTHWEST OF HELENA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... WOLF CREEK... THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. 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 4712 11199 4679 11185 4677 11253 4694 11261 TIME...MOT...LOC 2022Z 253DEG 44KT 4690 11234 NL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
228 PM MDT SAT JUN 02 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0220 PM HAIL 5 S BOZEMAN 45.60N 111.04W
06/02/2012 E0.25 INCH GALLATIN MT TRAINED SPOTTER
PEA SIZED HAIL AND ESTIMATED WINDS UP TO 50 MPH.
0220 PM TSTM WND GST 5 S BOZEMAN 45.60N 111.04W
06/02/2012 E50 MPH GALLATIN MT TRAINED SPOTTER
PEA SIZED HAIL AND ESTIMATED WINDS UP TO 50 MPH.
&&
NJLSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
256 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012
MTZ012-014-054-022145-
CASCADE MT-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK MT-MEAGHER MT-
256 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN LEWIS AND CLARK...EXTREME
NORTHERN MEAGHER AND SOUTHERN CASCADE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM MDT...
AT 252 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF WOLF CREEK...OR 19 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CASCADE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
PEA SIZED HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CRAIG...STOCKETT...
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. 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 4742 11130 4745 11122 4708 11098 4693 11196
4709 11209
TIME...MOT...LOC 2055Z 241DEG 38KT 4706 11190
NLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
348 PM MDT SAT JUN 02 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0245 PM TSTM WND DMG DILLON 45.22N 112.63W
06/02/2012 BEAVERHEAD MT LAW ENFORCEMENT
BEAVERHEAD SHERIFF REPORTS THAT A POWER LINE IS DOWN IN
THE DILLON AREA DUE TO A THUNDERSTORM.
&&
BRUSDAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
414 PM MDT SAT JUN 02 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0245 PM TSTM WND DMG DILLON 45.22N 112.63W
06/02/2012 BEAVERHEAD MT LAW ENFORCEMENT
BEAVERHEAD SHERIFF REPORTS THAT A POWER LINE IS DOWN IN
THE DILLON AREA DUE TO A THUNDERSTORM. LOCAL DES
CONFIRMS ONE POWER LINE DOWN...THAT NOW HAS BEEN FIXED.
NO OTHER DAMAGE VISIBLE IN THE DILLON AREA AT THIS TIME.
&&
CORRECTED REMARKS
BRUSDASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 428 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 MTZ051-022315- FERGUS MT- 428 PM MDT SAT JUN 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN FERGUS COUNTY UNTIL 515 PM MDT... AT 424 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 14 MILES WEST OF GRASS RANGE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. * LOCATIONS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED THIS STORM INCLUDE... GRASS RANGE... LOCATIONS ALONG HIGHWAY 200 FROM LEWISTOWN DIVIDE TO GRASS RANGE. LAT...LON 4676 10915 4702 10926 4720 10878 4676 10862 TIME...MOT...LOC 2227Z 249DEG 31KT 4697 10905 BRUSDA
The Billings radar (KBLX), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:28 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Quarter sized hail, measuring 1.00 inches, was reported 2 miles W of Forestgrove.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2012
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: 397579.