Montana, 2013

Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 20, 2013

July 20, 2013 · NWS GGW · 14 events in 5 counties and zones

Among some benign surface features, a modearately moist and warm atmosphere was able to set off a number of severe thunderstorms.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
14

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 GGW wrote it up.

Among some benign surface features, a modearately moist and warm atmosphere was able to set off a number of severe thunderstorms.

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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 20, 3:22 PM MST, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 3:22 PM MST, 1 hour 13 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 3:49 PM MST, 46 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
449 PM MDT SAT JUL 20 2013

MTZ016>027-059>062-211100-
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY-
DANIELS-SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT-PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-MCCONE-
RICHLAND-DAWSON-PRAIRIE-WIBAUX-NORTHERN PHILLIPS-
SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS-NORTHERN VALLEY-EASTERN ROOSEVELT-
449 PM MDT SAT JUL 20 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
MOSTLY NEAR THE CANADIAN AND NORTH DAKOTA BORDERS. STRONGER STORMS
WILL LIKELY HAVE SOME BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE REGION ON SUNDAY WILL GENERATE
GUSTY NORTHWEST WIND. THEREFORE A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT
FOR FORT PECK LAKE FROM NOON UNTIL 9 PM SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 2:15 PM MST, 2 hours 20 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 20, 2:54 PM MST, 1 hour 41 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:33 PM MST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 20, 4:31 PM MST, 4 minutes before
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The radar

The Glasgow radar (KGGW), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:36 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Valley

When
July 20, 4:35 PM MST
Where
Valley County, 4.25 mi NNW of Oswego
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.110, -105.890

Trained spotter reported hail up to the size of nickels. Location on the edge of the storm.

Hail, Valley

When
July 20, 4:45 PM MST
Where
Valley County, 4.25 mi NNW of Oswego
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.110, -105.890

Trained spotter reported quarter-sized hail.

Hail, Roosevelt

When
July 20, 5:15 PM MST
Where
Roosevelt County, 9.14 mi NNE of Wolf Pt Intl Airport(Kolf)
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
48.210, -105.460

Public reported hail up to the size of golf balls.

Hail, McCone

When
July 20, 5:37 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 4.86 mi S of Vida
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.760, -105.490

Trained spotter reported hail up to the size of quarters, winds up to 30 mph, and moderate rain reducing visibility to one-half mile.

Thunderstorm Wind, McCone

When
July 20, 5:46 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 0.83 mi NW of Cow Creek Dot
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
47.690, -105.490

A wind gust of 67 mph was recorded at the Cow Creek DOT site.

Thunderstorm Wind, McCone

When
July 20, 5:50 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 6.91 mi N of Circle
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.520, -105.600

Public reported that some metal fencing was damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, McCone

When
July 20, 5:50 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 6.91 mi N of Circle
Measured
68 kt (78 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.520, -105.600

Public reported a 78 mph wind gust.

Hail, McCone

When
July 20, 5:54 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 8.41 mi S of Cow Creek Dot
Measured
2.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.560, -105.510

Trained spotter reported hail up to the size of baseballs and heavy rain.

Hail, Dawson

When
July 20, 6:45 PM MST
Where
Dawson County, Lindsay
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.220, -105.150

Cooperative observer reported hail up to the size of golf balls and heavy rain.

Hail, Dawson

When
July 20, 7:15 PM MST
Where
Dawson County, 9.36 mi WNW of Hoyt
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.000, -105.020

Trained spotter reported hail up to the size of golf balls.

Hail, Prairie

When
July 20, 7:30 PM MST
Where
Prairie County, 5.61 mi NE of Fallon
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.890, -105.040

Public reported quarter-sized hail.

Hail, Prairie

When
July 20, 7:44 PM MST
Where
Prairie County, 5.25 mi E of Fallon
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.840, -105.010

Public reported hail up to the size of half dollars.

Hail, Prairie

When
July 20, 7:45 PM MST
Where
Prairie County, 6.94 mi ESE of Fallon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.800, -104.980

Trained spotter reported hail up to the size of golf balls.

Hail, Prairie

When
July 20, 7:55 PM MST
Where
Prairie County, 4.86 mi N of Mildred
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.750, -104.960

Cooperative observer reported hail up to the size of golf balls.

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

More

Every storm in Montana in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, July 2013

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 471441, 471443, 471445, 471449, 471454, 471452, 471456, 471450, 471457, 471458, 471460, 471461, 471462, 471463.