Thunderstorm Wind, Gallatin
- When
- July 16, 12:44 PM MST
- Where
- Gallatin County, 7 mi NNW of West Yellowstone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 44.924, -111.155
Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 16, 2019
A Pacific Trough approached from the west and supplied sufficient wind shear, lift, moisture, and instability for the development of strong to severe thunderstorms over southwest Montana. 75 inches of precipitable water in the area.
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
- 6
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 Pacific Trough approached from the west and supplied sufficient wind shear, lift, moisture, and instability for the development of strong to severe thunderstorms over southwest Montana. Effective shear values fell in the 30 to 40 knot range, while there was about .75 inches of precipitable water in the area. The first wave of storms developed by early afternoon and produced wind gusts up to 80 mph in Gallatin County. Thunderstorms continued to develop in the late afternoon and evening hours, which produced quarter sized hail in Jefferson and Beaverhead Counties.
The radar
The Billings radar (KBLX), 224 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:44 UTC.
Event by event
3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Gallatin
- When
- July 16, 12:45 PM MST
- Where
- Gallatin County, 6 mi NNW of West Yellowstone
- Measured
- 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 44.910, -111.147
The public reported about two dozen large trees downed by thunderstorm winds at the KOA near West Yellowstone. Some tents and awnings were destroyed. Wind speed and time were estimated.
Heavy Rain, Beaverhead
- When
- July 16, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Beaverhead County, Dillon
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 45.220, -112.650
Public reported .65 inches of rainfall in 15 minutes. This report was relayed by broadcast media. The time of event was estimated.
Hail, Jefferson
- When
- July 16, 5:16 PM MST
- Where
- Jefferson County, 2 mi W of Cardwell
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.850, -111.992
Trained spotter reports quarter sized hail falling and covering the ground near Cardwell.
Hail, Jefferson
- When
- July 16, 6:40 PM MST
- Where
- Jefferson County, 4.81 mi SSW of Homestake
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.853, -112.426
Trained spotter reports quarter sized hail falling and affecting travel on nearby Montana Highway 2.
Hail, Beaverhead
- When
- July 16, 8:10 PM MST
- Where
- Beaverhead County, Dewey
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 45.730, -112.850
Public reported quarter sized hail falling. The report was relayed by NWS Missoula.
What these are
- 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.
- 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
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, July 16, 2019
- Lightning Strike in North Carolina, July 16, 2019
- Flash Flood and Flood in Michigan, July 16, 2019
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 16 to 20, 2019
- Heat in Texas, July 16 to 17, 2019
- Damaging Winds in New York, July 16, 2019
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Wyoming, July 16, 2019
- Lightning Strike in Florida, July 16, 2019
- Flash Flood and Flood in South Dakota, July 16 to 17, 2019
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Arkansas, July 16, 2019
- Flood in South Dakota, July 16 to 17, 2019
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 16, 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 841891, 841892, 841893, 841894, 841895, 841896.