Hail in Montana, July 28, 2018

Name: Hail in Montana, July 28, 2018
Start: 2018-07-28T16:15
End: 2018-07-28T16:23
Location: Montana

July 28, 2018 · NWS BYZ · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

An isolated thunderstorm produced some severe size hail.

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: 3

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 BYZ wrote it up.

An isolated thunderstorm produced some severe size hail.

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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 28, 2:22 PM MST, 1 hour 53 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 28, 2:22 PM MST, 1 hour 53 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 28, 3:30 AM MST, 12 hours 45 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Billings MT
430 AM MDT Sat Jul 28 2018

MTZ028>042-056>058-063>068-WYZ098-099-291030-
Southern Wheatland-Musselshell-Treasure-Northern Rosebud-Custer-
Fallon-Northern Stillwater-Yellowstone-Powder River-Carter-
Southern Big Horn-Eastern Carbon-Northern Park-
Northern Sweet Grass-Golden Valley-Red Lodge Foothills-
Northern Big Horn-Southern Rosebud-Judith Gap-Paradise Valley-
Livingston Area-Beartooth Foothills-Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains-
Crazy Mountains-Northeast Bighorn Mountains-Sheridan Foothills-
430 AM MDT Sat Jul 28 2018

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central
Montana...south central Montana...southeast Montana and north
central Wyoming.

* WHAT...Severe Thunderstorms.

* WHERE...South Central and Southeast Montana, and portions of
  North Central Wyoming.

* WHEN...This afternoon and evening.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Storm activity is expected during the
  afternoon and evening hours, which could impact outdoor events.

* ADDITIONAL HAZARD CONCERNS...Storms will be fast moving and
  capable of producing strong winds, hail, and frequent lightning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Hazardous Weather Outlook is issued when hazardous weather could
impact the region within the next week. Be sure to stay tuned for
future updates as locations, timing, and impacts could change.
Begin preparations to mitigate any impacts that could result from
the hazardous weather.

&&

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 28, 2:47 PM MST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 2:54 PM MST, 1 hour 21 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 3:12 PM MST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 3:45 PM MST, 30 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 3:49 PM MST, 26 minutes before

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The radar

The Billings radar (KBLX), 77 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:12 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Sweet Grass

When: July 28, 4:15 PM MST
Where: Sweet Grass County, 9.39 mi ESE of Greycliff
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.740, -109.590

Hail, Stillwater

When: July 28, 4:19 PM MST
Where: Stillwater County, 7.28 mi E of Columbus
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 45.620, -109.100

Hail, Stillwater

When: July 28, 4:23 PM MST
Where: Stillwater County, 4.38 mi ESE of Reed Pt
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 45.670, -109.470

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, July 2018

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: 763585, 763586, 763587.