High winds developed over the Rocky Mountain Front and its adjacent plains.
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.
High winds developed over the Rocky Mountain Front and its adjacent plains.
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 26, 9:55 PM MST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1055 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012 UPDATED AVIATION SECTION .DISCUSSION... LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER FIRE ZONE 118 SO HAVE EXTENDED THE RED FLAG WARNING TILL MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS IN THIS ZONE SHOULD GRADUALLY IMPROVE THROUGH THE EVENING AS TEMPERATURES FALL AND WINDS DECREASE. OVER NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA...WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY THROUGH MIDNIGHT. AFTER MIDNIGHT...WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THOUGH STILL REMAIN BREEZY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE MUCH COOLER TONIGHT. HAVE ALSO LOWERED POPS ACROSS FAR NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA BUT KEPT SOME POPS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE INCLUDING THE EAST SIDE OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK. THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST IS ON TRACK SO MADE NO FURTHER CHANGES. MLV && .AVIATION... UPDATED 04555Z. A STABLE AIRMASS HAS RESULTED IN CLEARING SKIES OVER THE AREA. SURFACE WINDS ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND ADJACENT PLAINS REMAIN GUSTY BUT WILL DECREASE AFTER 08Z. WINDS WILL AGAIN INCREASE AND BECOME GUSTY AFTER 15Z. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL. && .FIRE WEATHER... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ZONE 118 FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 545 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012/ TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...ACTIVE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HILL...BLAINE AND EASTERN CHOUTEAU COUNTY THROUGH 5 PM MDT BUT THE REMAINDER OF THE WATCH HAS ALREADY BEEN CANCELLED. CONVECTION IS FIRING ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT IS SPEEDING EASTWARD AND WILL MOVE INTO EASTERN COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. BEHIND THE FRONT WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE HAVOC WITH WILDFIRES IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA AND THE HELENA AREA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE BELOW WARNING CRITERIA BY LATE EVENING BUT BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. MOIST WESTERLY FLOW WILL CAUSE SHOWERS TO CONTINUE ALONG THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING BUT THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA IS EXPECTED TO BE DRY. ONLY FLY IN THE OINTMENT WITH REGARD TO PRECIPITATION IS THE POSSIBILITY FOR RIVER AND STREAM RISES IN THE GLACIER PARK REGION. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT EVEN THOUGH CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN RATHER DRY IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA...WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS STRONG AS THEY HAVE BEEN SO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED. ALSO...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA SHOULD BE MUCH LESS HUMID WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGES ON WEDNESDAY BUT INCREASING BACK INTO THE 80S ON THURSDAY. MPJ THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...EXTENDED PERIOD BEGINS WITH DRY CONDITIONS AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS MOVES FROM THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO ERN MT LATE THURS INTO FRI. A WEAK DISTURBANCE TRACKS ACROSS SRN ALB/SASK FRI AFTN/EVE BRINGING SOME CLOUDS ACROSS THE HILINE AND CENTRAL MT BUT PRECIP DOES NOT APPEAR LIKELY OTHER THAN A FEW SHOWERS ALONG THE ROCKY MTN FRONT. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING REDEVELOPS ACROSS OUR REGION FOR THE WEEKEND BRINGING MOSTLY DRY CONDITIONS UNTIL SUN EVE. AT THAT POINT A PACIFIC SHORTWAVE TROF AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT PUSH IN FROM THE WEST PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO EARLY MON MORNING. THE SYSTEM SHOULD MAKE STEADY EASTWARD PROGRESS ON MON WITH A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS POSSIBLE ALONG THE HILINE. DRY CONDITIONS RETURN ON TUES UNDER WEST-SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE LOW 80S OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL COUNTIES WITH UPPER 80S TO LOW 90S EXPECTED OVER THE SOUTHWEST VALLEYS FROM FRI THRU SUN. THE COLD FRONT ARRIVING SUN NIGHT WILL DECREASE TEMPS BACK INTO THE UPPER 70S TO LOW 80S FOR MON AND TUES. WARANAUSKAS && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 48 73 47 82 / 10 0 0 0 CTB 46 68 44 77 / 30 20 0 0 HLN 48 75 48 85 / 10 0 0 0 BZN 41 77 42 86 / 0 0 0 0 WEY 37 71 38 80 / 0 0 0 0 DLN 40 76 43 85 / 0 0 0 0 HVR 48 73 46 82 / 10 10 0 0 LWT 43 70 44 79 / 0 0 0 0 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT EASTERN GLACIER... NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT BEAVERHEAD... BROADWATER...CASCADE...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK... GALLATIN...JEFFERSON...MADISON...MEAGHER. && WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 859 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012 MTZ008-014-015-052-053-055-280300- BEAVERHEAD-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-JEFFERSON- BROADWATER-GALLATIN- 859 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE PROBABILITY IS LOW FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ009-010-048-280300- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER- SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 859 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE PROBABILITY IS LOW FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ011>013-044>047-049>051-054-280300- HILL-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE- EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-MEAGHER- 859 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
723 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1259 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NE LIMA 44.69N 112.54W
06/26/2012 M61 MPH BEAVERHEAD MT MESONET
ANTELOPE RAWS MEASURES 61 MPH WIND GUST. SUSTAINED WIND
SPEED OF 40 MPH.
&&
MLVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
724 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0159 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NE LIMA 44.69N 112.54W
06/26/2012 M55 MPH BEAVERHEAD MT MESONET
ANTELOPE RAWS MEASURES SUSTAINED WIND SPEED OF 41 MPH.
MEASURED WIND GUST OF 55 MPH.
&&
MLVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
744 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 13 WSW SAINT MARY 48.69N 113.71W
06/26/2012 M77 MPH GLACIER MT MESONET
LOGAN PASS MEASURES 77 MPH WIND GUST.
&&
MLVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
751 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1259 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NE LIMA 44.69N 112.54W
06/26/2012 M61 MPH BEAVERHEAD MT MESONET
ANTELOPE RAWS SITE
&&
EMANUELPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
800 PM MDT TUE JUN 26 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 32 WSW BYNUM 47.79N 112.94W
06/26/2012 M61 MPH LEWIS AND CLARK MT MESONET
GATES PARK RAWS SITE
&&
EMANUEL3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gust of 66KT (76MPH) measured near Heart Butte. Sustained winds were 37KT (42MPH).
Wind gust of 62KT (71MPH) measured at the Theodore Roosevelt Ranch 17 miles W of Pendroy.
Wind gust of 55KT (63MPH) was reported 8 miles WNW of Whitlash.
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: 396892, 396893, 396894.