Hail, Jefferson
- When
- July 12, 5:15 PM MST
- Where
- Jefferson County, Whitehall
- Measured
- 1.5 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.870, -112.100
Trained spotter reported 1.5 inch hail in Whitehall.
Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 12 to 14, 2019
A of broad low pressure area over the Pacific Northwest exerted an influence on Montana's weather for much of the weekend. This resulted in a persistent unstable southwest flow over the region, which pumped in mid and upper level moisture along with passing disturbances embedded within the flow.
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
- 32
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.
A of broad low pressure area over the Pacific Northwest exerted an influence on Montana's weather for much of the weekend. This resulted in a persistent unstable southwest flow over the region, which pumped in mid and upper level moisture along with passing disturbances embedded within the flow. In the upper levels, a jet stream was situated in a favorable position to produce upper level divergence. Meanwhile, a low level easterly flow was present for a significant period of time, which further increased moisture levels and wind shear. During the peak of this event, precipitable water values approached the one inch mark, effective wind shear values were as high as 50kts, and mid-level lapse rates soared to 7.5 to 8 degree C per Kilometer. The combination of these conditions provided an environment primed for a weekend of severe thunderstorms for much of the region.
The radar
The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 185 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:16 UTC.
Event by event
17 thunderstorm wind, 11 hail, 3 heavy rain, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Broadwater
- When
- July 12, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Broadwater County, 3 mi S of Winston
- Measured
- 1.5 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.387, -111.780
Trained spotter reported 1.5 inch hail near Winston. Pictures and video were provided.
Hail, Teton
- When
- July 13, 1:53 PM MST
- Where
- Teton County, 7 mi SW of Dutton
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 47.778, -111.827
One inch sized hail reported near Dutton.
Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus
- When
- July 13, 3:27 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, 2 mi SW of Lewistown
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 47.050, -109.450
Heavy Rain, Fergus
- When
- July 13, 3:33 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, 2 mi S of Lewistown
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.041, -109.420
Brief heavy rainfall of .43 inches in 13 minutes, with pea sized hail. Some tree branches were knocked down during the storm.
Hail, Fergus
- When
- July 13, 3:34 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, 1 mi NE of Lewistown
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.080, -109.405
One inch sized hail reported near Lewistown.
Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus
- When
- July 13, 3:52 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, 7 mi ESE of Hilger
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 47.211, -109.212
Thunderstorm Wind, Blaine
- When
- July 13, 5:18 PM MST
- Where
- Blaine County, 13 mi S of Ft Belknap
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 48.382, -108.920
Hail, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:22 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 2.77 mi S of Manchester
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.530, -111.500
Trained spotter reported 1 inch sized hail at 1 W Sun Prairie.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:24 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 1.46 mi SSW of Manchester
- Measured
- 72 kt (83 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 47.550, -111.510
Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:27 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 2 mi WSW of Great Falls
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- NWS Employee
- Coordinates
- 47.509, -111.340
Tree limbs about three inches in diameter were downed by thunderstorm winds.
Thunderstorm Wind, Broadwater
- When
- July 14, 3:30 PM MST
- Where
- Broadwater County, Townsend
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 46.320, -111.520
Sheriff's office reports a tree limb down on a power line.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:30 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, (Gtf)great Falls Arpt
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 47.480, -111.370
Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:30 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 5 mi WNW of Great Falls
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 47.548, -111.399
Power lines down and blocking south bound lane of interstate 15 at miler marker 281.6.
Hail, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:32 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 1 mi W of Black Eagle
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.520, -111.301
Public reported hail size of 1 inch near Black Eagle.
Hail, Broadwater
- When
- July 14, 3:35 PM MST
- Where
- Broadwater County, Townsend
- Measured
- 1.25 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.320, -111.520
Trained spotter reported hail sized 1.25 inches in Townsend.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:39 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 2 mi W of Malmstrom Afb
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 47.500, -111.213
Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 3:40 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 1 mi SE of Black Eagle
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- NWS Employee
- Coordinates
- 47.510, -111.265
Reports of a tree split and power line down near 19th St and Central. Several other limbs were down in the vicinity. Also, there were 5 to 6 inch diameter tree limbs down near 22nd Ave and Central.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cascade
- When
- July 14, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Cascade County, 9 mi S of Ulm
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.300, -111.520
Power was knocked out as thunderstorms approached from the west.
Hail, Chouteau
- When
- July 14, 4:05 PM MST
- Where
- Chouteau County, 4 mi NE of Highwood
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.621, -110.739
Public reported hail sized 1 inch near Highwood. Report relayed by NWS Chat.
Thunderstorm Wind, Chouteau
- When
- July 14, 4:17 PM MST
- Where
- Chouteau County, 29.72 mi N of Warrick
- Measured
- 54 kt (62 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 48.500, -110.609
Siding blown off of a shed and some limbs down on the roof of the house. Some hail damage to crops also reported but hail size was not verified. Time estimated by radar.
Hail, Fergus
- When
- July 14, 4:30 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, Buffalo
- Measured
- 1.25 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 46.820, -109.820
Public reports a few half dollar sized hail that occurred with an estimated 60 mph wind gust. A horse trailer was blown over.
Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus
- When
- July 14, 4:30 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, Buffalo
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 46.820, -109.820
Public reported an estimated wind gust of 60 mph that blew over a horse trailer.
Hail, Judith Basin
- When
- July 14, 4:40 PM MST
- Where
- Judith Basin County, Hobson
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.000, -109.870
Trained spotter reported 1 inch sized hail.
Heavy Rain, Judith Basin
- When
- July 14, 4:40 PM MST
- Where
- Judith Basin County, Hobson
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.000, -109.870
Trained spotter reported .74 inches of rain in about 20 minutes.
Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus
- When
- July 14, 4:55 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, (Lwt)lewiston Muni A
- Measured
- 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 47.050, -109.470
Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus
- When
- July 14, 5:00 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, 2 mi SE of Lewistown
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.050, -109.390
Trained spotter estimates 70 mph wind gust. Heavy rain and hail were falling at the time of observation.
Thunderstorm Wind, Hill
- When
- July 14, 5:09 PM MST
- Where
- Hill County, 3 mi SE of Havre
- Measured
- 80 kt (92 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 48.519, -109.634
Thunderstorm Wind, Fergus
- When
- July 14, 5:22 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, 6 mi NNE of Forestgrove
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AWOS
- Coordinates
- 47.080, -109.031
Funnel Cloud, Broadwater
- When
- July 14, 7:20 PM MST
- Where
- Broadwater County, Townsend
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.320, -111.520
Trained spotter reported a funnel cloud in Townsend.
Hail, Broadwater
- When
- July 14, 7:40 PM MST
- Where
- Broadwater County, 10 mi NE of Winston
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 46.532, -111.631
Public reported hail sized 1.75 inches near Winston.
Heavy Rain, Fergus
- When
- July 14, 9:05 PM MST
- Where
- Fergus County, 10 mi WSW of Forestgrove
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 46.945, -109.276
Heavy rain of .83 inches reported on the north slope of the snowy Mountains. Location estimated.
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.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado and Hail in North Dakota, July 12 to 13, 2019
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Massachusetts, July 12, 2019
- Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 12, 2019
- Coastal Flood and Heavy Rain in Alabama, July 12 to 15, 2019
- Dense Fog in Virginia, July 12, 2019
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Gulf of Mexico, July 12 to 13, 2019
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 12, 2019
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, July 12, 2019
- Heavy Rain in Florida, July 12, 2019
- Hail in South Dakota, July 12, 2019
- Hail in Iowa, July 12, 2019
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Gulf of Mexico, July 12, 2019
More
Every storm in Montana in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, July 2019
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: 840774, 840776, 840798, 840802, 840811, 840812, 840815, 841162, 841170, 841182, 841192, 841202, 841208, 841213, 841216, 841217, 841220, 841223, 841226, 841230, 841236, 841238, 841239, 841240, 841241, 841243, 841245, 841247, 841248, 841249, 841250, 841252.