Elevated convection pulsed up associated with low to mid tropospheric warming due to southwest flow. A weak shortwave trough was working its way through a broad, larger ridge over the region.
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 GGW wrote it up.
Elevated convection pulsed up associated with low to mid tropospheric warming due to southwest flow. A weak shortwave trough was working its way through a broad, larger ridge over the region.
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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 23, 7:46 PM MST, 5 hours 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 846 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 .SHORT TERM...FOR NORTHEAST MONTANA...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... BUILDING UPPER RIDGE CAPPING ANY CONVECTIVE CLOUDS FROM FORMING IN THE CWA THIS EVENING. REMNANTS OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA THIS EVENING SHOULD MOVE NORTHEAST INTO CANADA BEFORE REACHING OUR NW ZONES. LOWERED POPS ACROSS THE BOARD...LEAVING JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE MENTION FOR NORTHERN PHILLIPS COUNTY LATE TONIGHT. MODELS ARE SHOWING A BETTER CHANCE OF REDEVELOPMENT TO OUR SOUTH LATE TONIGHT THAT MOVES NORTH SUNDAY MORNING. MID SHIFT WILL HAVE TO TAKE A BETTER LOOK AT THIS. REST OF FORECAST LOOKED GOOD. JAMBA PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... UPPER RIDGING WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER OVER NORTHEAST MONTANA THROUGH MONDAY...MAKING FOR HOT TEMPERATURES. A PERSISTENT SURFACE PATTERN FEATURING LOW PRESSURE TO THE SOUTHWEST AND HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTHEAST WILL DRIVE EAST WINDS AT 15 TO 30 MPH THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY NIGHT. THE CURRENT TIMING OF THE LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR FORT PECK LAKE LOOKS SPOT ON. A BIT STRONGER SHORTWAVE KICKER SPUN OFF OF A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OFF THE WEST COAST COULD BE ENOUGH TO ERODE THE STRONG STABLE LAYER IN PLACE ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA. THUS KEPT MENTION OF ISOLATED THUNDER POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE WESTERN ZONES TONIGHT. SUNDAY THE STABLE LAYER LOOKS TO LARGELY HOLD. THE ONLY REAL POTENTIAL FOR AN ISOLATED HOLDOVER STORM FROM ANY NOCTURNAL CONVECTION WE SEE TO LINGER ACROSS THE NORTH DURING THE MORNING HOURS. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO WARM AS THE THERMAL RIDGE APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTHWEST. MONDAY TEMPERATURES WILL FURTHER RISE AS THE THERMAL RIDGE PUSHES IN FROM THE SOUTH. EXPECT HIGHS TO REACH THE 90S AT MOST LOCATIONS...WITH A FEW TRIPLE DIGIT READINGS OVER THE SOUTH. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE CAP WILL ERODE ACROSS THE SOUTH BY THE AFTERNOON HOURS...THANKS TO A WEAK SURFACE LOW AND WEAK SHORTWAVE FEATURES ALOFT. WITH POTENTIAL INSTABILITY LOOKING RATHER IMPRESSIVE AT 4000 J/KG AND A FAVORABLE SHEAR PROFILE SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE ON THE STRONG TO SEVERE SIDE. GILCHRIST .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY... THE EXTENDED PERIOD BEGINS WITH A CLOSED LOW PACIFIC STORM PUSHING INTO THE PAC-NW MONDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL NUDGE THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS EAST OF EASTERN MONTANA. THE THERMAL RIDGE SLIDES NORTH...SENDING THE WARM FRONT INTO CANADA WHERE THE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL INITIATE STORMS. NORTHEAST MONTANA SHOULD ONLY SEE ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDER. THE THERMAL RIDGE WITH THICKNESS HEIGHTS OF AROUND 585DM WILL MAKE FOR A WARM NIGHT. THEN ON TUESDAY THE BASE OF THE TROUGH SWINGS NORTHEAST INTO CANADA SENDING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE MONTANA PLAINS. THE MODELS HAVE THE TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT OVER NEMONT TUESDAY EVENING. IN ANY CASE THE SW JET CARRIES MOST OF THE MOISTURE INTO SOUTHERN ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN WHERE THE STRONGEST STORMS ARE EXPECTED. THE MAIN AFFECT OF THE FRONT WILL BE TO COOL TEMPERATURES AFTER THE WELL ABOVE AVERAGE HIGHS ON TUESDAY...WHICH WILL AGAIN RUN WELL INTO THE 90S. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS OVERNIGHT LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT TO BE AROUND 10-15F DEGREES COOLER THAN MONDAY NIGHT. WITH FRONTAL TIMING UNCERTAIN... IT MAY NOT SYNC UP WELL WITH THE PEAK AFTERNOON HEATING WHICH COULD STUNT SEVERE POTENTIAL. WITH DAYTIME CONDITIONS QUITE UNSTABLE...WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE LOOKING FOR SIMILAR FEATURES FROM RUN TO RUN BEFORE PLACING HIGHER CONFIDENCE IN THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. BUT FOR NOW BEST GUESS IS FOR THUNDER TO BE LATE IN THE EVENING IF IT DOES OCCUR. WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...THE TROUGH OF COOLER AIR THAT BROKE DOWN THE HEAT RIDGE WILL MAINTAIN TEMPERATURES CLOSER TO NORMAL. ANOTHER SMALLER SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE FOLLOWS WHICH COULD INITIATE A FEW STORMS...BUT AGAIN...THE MAIN ACTIVITY PLAYS OUT WELL TO THENORTH. FRIDAY AND BEYOND...THE UPPER RIDGE REBOUNDS IN THE WEST BEHIND THE DEPARTING SHORTWAVE. CONDITIONS WILL ONCE AGAIN BECOME WARMER AND DRIER THAN NORMAL. GAH/ && .AVIATION... MAINLY VFR. ISOLATED THUNDER COULD BE POSSIBLE NEAR KGGW TONIGHT BUT IS NOT LIKELY. GUSTY ERRATIC WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR ANY STORMS. WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE EAST AT 10 TO 20 KTS THROUGHOUT THE TAF CYCLE GUSTING TO 25 KTS DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS. GAH && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR FORT PECK LAKE. && WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 230 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 MTZ016-017-021>023-241100- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY- PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-MCCONE- 230 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR FORT PECK LAKE FOR SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
208 AM MDT SUN JUN 24 2012
MTZ017-022-023-240915-
GARFIELD-MCCONE-VALLEY-
208 AM MDT SUN JUN 24 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GLASGOW HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
SOUTHEASTERN VALLEY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MONTANA...
NORTHWESTERN MCCONE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MONTANA...
NORTHEASTERN GARFIELD COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MONTANA...
UNTIL 315 AM MDT.
AT 203 AM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR THE PINES REC AREA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.
LOCATIONS IN THE ADVISORY INCLUDE...
DUCK CREEK REC AREA...
FORT PECK...
FRAZER...
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 4832 10601 4804 10584 4801 10584 4801 10583
4776 10568 4759 10645 4789 10670
TIME...MOT...LOC 0808Z 227DEG 32KT 4786 10648
GFF
WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
245 AM MDT SUN JUN 24 2012
MTZ017-061-240945-
VALLEY-
245 AM MDT SUN JUN 24 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GLASGOW HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
NORTHERN VALLEY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MONTANA...
UNTIL 345 AM MDT.
AT 241 AM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTH OF HINSDALE...MOVING EAST AT 40
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 IN THE ADVISORY INCLUDE...
OPHEIM...
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 4848 10605 4839 10723 4851 10722 4851 10719
4857 10719 4857 10721 4887 10721 4891 10720
4891 10718 4899 10718 4899 10624
TIME...MOT...LOC 0845Z 252DEG 35KT 4856 10704
GFF
WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOWThe Glasgow radar (KGGW), 58 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:45 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Quarter sized hail and heavy rain was reported by the public 11 miles northwest of Hinsdale in Valley County.
A trained spotter reported penny sized hail partially covering the ground along with heavy rain 6 miles northwest of Baylor in Valley County.
Nickel to quarter sized hail along with brief heavy rain and wind gusts to 30 MPH were reported by the public near Saint Marie in Valley County.
A trained spotter reported quarter and penny hail covering the ground along with heavy rain and 30 MPH wind gusts 8 miles south of Lustre in Valley County.
A trained spotter reported penny sized hail along with an inch of rain 9 miles east-southeast of Volt in Roosevelt County.
Tree branches were blown off of trees and rain gutters were blown off of the hospital.
The Wolf Point Airport had a gust to 73 mph. A nearby trailer park had a pop up camper that was flipped over by the wind and totaled.
Three to four inch limbs were broken off of a tree. No other damage reported.
No significant damage occurred. Spotter reported 1.55 of rainfall.
No significant damage noted. Some small hail fell as well.
No damage reported, but this is a very rural area with few trees.
This is a rural area with few trees. No damage reported.
A trained spotter reported mainly pea sized hail with quarter sized hail as well 2 miles northwest of the Sioux Pass DOT in Richland County.
A trained spotter reported mainly pea sized hail with some quarter sized hail 7 miles northwest of Lustre in Valley County.
Initial reports came from Richland County Sheriff's Department and then also from trained spotters in the area. There were a total of 8 large steel tanks blown over that weigh 12,000-14,000 pounds each. They were empty, and not staked into the ground yet. They stood about 25 feet tall and 8 feet across. Consulted with expert damage assessors with NWS Warning Decision Training Branch and at the University of Oklahoma, who agreed with the NWS Glasgow wind speed estimate of 95 mph winds to blow those tanks over. A 5th wheel camper was also blown over at the site, and an occupant was injured, but was not transported to the closest medical center. A pickup truck was also crushed under the tanks.
Six power poles and lines were downed in this area. Wind speeds estimated on other damage in the area and the EF Scale Toolkit.
A trained spotter reported quarter sized hail covering the ground along with heavy rain about 6 miles west of the Sioux Pass DOT in Richland County.
Five power poles and lines were down just west of Highway 16 and Road 144. Wind speeds estimated on other damage in the area and the EF Scale Toolkit.
Very strong winds reported with a lot of sand/dust lofted into the air. No significant damage reports.
Richland County Sheriff Deputy reported nickel sized hail north of highway 201 on highway 16 in Richland County.
A trained spotter reported slightly larger than quarter sized hail near Fairview in Richland County.
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: 393843, 393844, 393845, 393846, 393847, 395089, 395094, 395097, 395104, 395105, 395111, 395114, 393848, 393849, 395134, 395135, 393850, 395137, 395139, 395133, 393851.