An approaching low pressure disturbance from the west combined with an atmosphere favorable for storm development, to form strong thunderstorms, some of which became severe, including very efficient downpours, resulting in many reports of flash flooding.
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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 GGW wrote it up.
An approaching low pressure disturbance from the west combined with an atmosphere favorable for storm development, to form strong thunderstorms, some of which became severe, including very efficient downpours, resulting in many reports of flash flooding.
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 Jun 19, 12:28 PM MST, 42 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 128 PM MDT Wed Jun 19 2019 .DISCUSSION... As weak ridging is moving off to the east this afternoon a shortwave is moving into Northeast Montana. An associated cold front is currently across east-central Montana and will move into Phillips and Petroleum County shortly. This front will continue to progress eastward, reaching the North Dakota border later this evening. Southeast flow ahead of the front has drawn decent low- level moisture into the area with dewpoints generally in the middle 50s along and south of the Missouri River. This moisture, combined with temperatures in the 70s and steep low and mid-level lapse rates will allow for instability on the order of 1000 to 1500 J/kg to develop this afternoon. The wind shear is a little better than we saw yesterday with around 35 knots of surface to 6km shear, so the threat for at least marginally severe storms certainly exists. Wind gusts to around 60 mph and hail to half dollar size would be the primary threats. The best chances will be south of the Missouri River from near Jordan east to the North Dakota border. These storms will not be all that fast moving, so heavy rain is a threat and any area that gets multiple storms may see a minor flooding threat. The storms will move out of the area late this evening into early tonight. The primary upper-level low will then drop south out of Alberta into Montana tonight into Thursday. This will remain over the region into the weekend bringing with it cooler temperatures and continued chances for showers and thunderstorms. Brief drying is possible early next week as this upper low lifts back up into Canada, but the next trough moving toward the Pacific Northwest could bring a return to the wet pattern. There may also be an increasing potential for severe storms towards the middle and latter half of next week. -Mottice && .AVIATION... VFR with some MVFR in showers and thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are expected to become more widespread this afternoon with all TAF sites potentially receiving storms. They should move east of the area after 03 to 06 Z. -Mottice && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && weather.gov/glasgow
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Glasgow MT 141 PM MDT Wed Jun 19 2019 MTZ016-017-192030- Central and Southeast Phillips MT-Central and Southern Valley MT- 141 PM MDT Wed Jun 19 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN PHILLIPS AND WEST CENTRAL VALLEY COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM MDT... At 141 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Saco, or 25 miles east of Malta, moving northeast at 15 mph. Pea size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Saco and Hinsdale. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 4828 10737 4845 10748 4856 10716 4834 10702 TIME...MOT...LOC 1941Z 247DEG 13KT 4840 10733 Avery/Mottice
The Glasgow radar (KGGW), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:10 UTC.
2 hail, 1 flood, 1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Valley County dispatch reported hail up to the size of quarters, along with at least one inch of estimated rainfall.
Trained spotter reported, after more than three inches of rain, that county road 314 and multiple culverts and well heads were under water. Residence basement was also flooded.
Richland County dispatch relayed reports of water over Highway 201 at the intersections of county roads 318, 317, and 314.
Public reported ping pong ball size hail and heavy rain near the Whoopup Creek area, southwest of Glendive.
The King Coulee RAWS site (KIGM8) measured a 61 mph wind gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2019
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: 828170, 828182, 828187, 837418, 828171.