Hail, Teton
- When
- June 23, 5:58 PM MST to 6:45 PM MST
- Where
- Teton County, 2 mi S of Choteau
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.791, -112.180
Hail of 1 inch was reported 2 miles S of Choteau.
Hail and Damaging Wind in Montana, June 23, 2012
Severe storms developed over North Central Montana.
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
- 5
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 storms developed over North Central Montana.
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 23, 4:40 PM MST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 23, 4:40 PM MST, 1 hour 18 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 540 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 UPDATED AVIATION SECTION .DISCUSSION... TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...UPPER LEVEL PATTERN CONTINUES TO LOOK RATHER STATIC THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS A DEEP LOW SPINS OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST AND A RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE OVER EASTERN MONTANA AND THE DAKOTAS. ENERGY LOBES SPINNING OFF THE MAIN LOW WILL PERIODICALLY MOVE ACROSS WESTERN MONTANA THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. PATTERN LOOKS FAVORABLE FOR STORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...OVER THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...THE BULK OF ACTION IS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE WEST OF THE DIVIDE WHICH IS BETTER PLACED WITH REGARD TO UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS AND MOISTURE. SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO ADVECT A WARM AND GENERALLY DRY AIRMASS INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM INTO THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S MONDAY AND TUESDAY. MEANWHILE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PRIMARILY AFFECT THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS WITH A FEW STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE ALONG THE CANADIAN BORDER ON SUNDAY AS INSTABILITY SHIFTS INTO ALBERTA. MPJ MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE TROF WILL MOVE THROUGH THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST MONDAY NIGHT AND THE ZONES WILL BE UNDERNEATH MOIST...UNSETTLED FLOW FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THIS WILL ADD MOISTURE TO A DRY AIRMASS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. THE LOW PRESSURE TROF WILL ROTATE NORTH OVER THEN NORTHERN ROCKIES TUESDAY AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO CENTRAL MONTANA. THE BEST AREAS FOR PRECIPITATION WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WITH CHANCES DECREASING EASTWARD. THE AIRMASS WILL BE UNSTABLE AHEAD OF THIS FRONT AND LOCATIONS WITH AFTERNOON OR EVENING COLD FRONT PASSAGE SHOULD SEE GOOD LIFT FOR AT LEAST ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EVEN THOUGH THE AIRMASS WILL BE DRY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION WEDNESDAY AND THE CHANCE OF PRECIP WILL DROP. BEST CHANCE FOR CONTINUED CONVECTION WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WHERE THE COMBINATION OF A PASSING SHORTWAVE AND LINGERING MOISTURE WILL COME TOGETHER. THE AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE TO DRY THURSDAY AND REMAIN DRY AND STABLE THROUGH FRIDAY. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE WILL BE APPROACHING THE ROCKIES SATURDAY. THE AIRMASS WILL BECOME UNSTABLE AGAIN AND THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE. ZELZER && .AVIATION... UPDATED 2340Z. MOIST SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT CONTINUES. THE AIRMASS HAS BECOME UNSTABLE WITH THE GREATEST INSTABILITY WEST OF A KHLN TO KGTF TO KCTB LINE. THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY WEST OF THIS LINE WITH SOME STORMS BECOMING STRONG. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EAST OF THIS LINE. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY SHOULD END BY 07Z WITH SKIES CLEARING. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL WITH MVFR CONDITIONS AND ERRATIC WINDS IN THE VICINITY OF THUNDERSTORMS. MOUNTAINS MAY BE OBSCURED AT TIMES. && .FIRE WEATHER... FAR SOUTHWEST MONTANA CONTINUES TO LOOK DRY AND WINDY FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY AFTERNOONS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH MISSOULA FORECAST OFFICE HAVE ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR FIRE ZONES 110 AND 111 FOR SUNDAY. ANTICIPATE THAT ANOTHER WARNING WILL BE REQUIRED FOR MONDAY AS WELL. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT ZONE 118 WILL BE SPARED THE STRONGER WINDS SO DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT HIGHLIGHTS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THIS AREA. MPJ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 58 90 59 90 / 20 10 10 10 CTB 54 78 55 81 / 70 20 20 10 HLN 58 93 57 92 / 20 10 10 20 BZN 52 92 53 92 / 10 0 10 10 WEY 46 82 47 83 / 0 0 0 20 DLN 52 88 52 88 / 0 10 10 20 HVR 60 90 61 93 / 20 10 20 10 LWT 58 88 58 90 / 20 0 10 10 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY BEAVERHEAD... JEFFERSON...MADISON. && WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 23, 2:03 PM MST, 3 hours 55 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 303 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 MTZ008-015-052-242115- BEAVERHEAD-MADISON-JEFFERSON- 303 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY RED FLAG WARNING FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON UNTIL 9 PM MDT SUNDAY. VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL BRING INCREASED FIRE DANGER OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ051-053>055-242115- FERGUS-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 303 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES REACHING THE UPPER 80S TO MID 90S OVER THE VALLEYS AND PLAINS. LOW HUMIDITIES WILL ALSO BRING AN INCREASE IN FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS BUT NO FIRE WEATHER HEADLINES ARE EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ009>014-044>050-242115- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-CASCADE- CHOUTEAU-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-TOOLE-LIBERTY- EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN- 303 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT QUICK-MOVING DISTURBANCES WILL BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA THIS EVENING. SOME STORMS MAY BE STRONG TO SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES REACHING THE UPPER 80S TO MID 90S OVER THE VALLEYS AND PLAINS. LOW HUMIDITIES WILL ALSO BRING AN INCREASE IN FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS BUT NO FIRE WEATHER HEADLINES ARE EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 5:48 PM MST, 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 648 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 MTZ009-010-046-048-240130- EASTERN GLACIER MT-EASTERN PONDERA MT-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT MT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT MT- 648 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL PONDERA...SOUTHEASTERN GLACIER AND NORTHERN TETON COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM MDT... AT 643 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF VALIER...OR 22 MILES WEST OF CONRAD...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...CUT BANK. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 4872 11268 4870 11223 4808 11229 4807 11262 TIME...MOT...LOC 0046Z 188DEG 23KT 4820 11243 08
The radar
The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:57 UTC.
Event by event
4 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Teton
- When
- June 23, 6:42 PM MST to 7:30 PM MST
- Where
- Teton County, 8 mi ENE of Choteau
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.864, -112.021
Golf ball sized hail (1.75 inches) was reported mixed in with small hail 8 miles ENE of Choteau.
Hail, Pondera
- When
- June 23, 7:29 PM MST to 8:15 PM MST
- Where
- Pondera County, 4 mi NW of Brady
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 48.071, -111.891
Hail of 1.00 inches was reported 4 miles NW of Brady.
Hail, Liberty
- When
- June 23, 8:54 PM MST to 9:45 PM MST
- Where
- Liberty County, 13 mi SSE of Lothair
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 48.296, -111.112
Hail of 1.00 inches was reported at Tiber Dam.
Thunderstorm Wind, Toole
- When
- June 23, 9:00 PM MST to 10:00 PM MST
- Where
- Toole County, 6 mi NNE of Galata
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 48.550, -111.300
Winds gusted to 55KT (63MPH) 6 miles NNE of Galata.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Wildfire in Colorado, June 23 to 30, 2012
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Maine, June 23 to 24, 2012
- Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, June 23 to 27, 2012
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Washington, June 23, 2012
- Lightning Strike in Vermont, June 23, 2012
- Heat in Alabama, June 23 to 26, 2012
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, June 23, 2012
- Flooding and Hail in Massachusetts, June 23, 2012
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Maine, June 23 to 24, 2012
- Tornadoes in Florida, June 23, 2012
- Damaging Wind in New Hampshire, June 23, 2012
- Hail in Washington, June 23, 2012
More
Every storm in Montana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2012
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: 396904, 396903, 396902, 396900, 396901.