With plentiful low-level moisture and a very unstable atmosphere, thunderstorms easily formed off the higher terrain of central Montana, then moved eastward with a low pressure trough, and became severe during the afternoon, evening, and overnight hours.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
With plentiful low-level moisture and a very unstable atmosphere, thunderstorms easily formed off the higher terrain of central Montana, then moved eastward with a low pressure trough, and became severe during the afternoon, evening, and overnight hours.
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 28, 1:29 PM MST, 4 hours 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 229 PM MDT Fri Jun 28 2019 .DISCUSSION... Pleasant weather conditions prevailed across Northeast Montana this afternoon. No shower activity was observed. Latest Storm Prediction Center guidance indicated an Enhance risk of severe weather for parts of central and northeastern Montana and Slight risk elsewhere. There is a higher risk for large Hail to occur than yesterday. Dew point temperatures has steadily increasing late this afternoon, with latest surface observations showing dew point temperatures reaching mid 60s in some areas. This moist environment, combined with favorable upper level conditions will trigger strong to severe thunderstorms later this afternoon into this evening across the forecast area. Latest high resolution models forecast most of the activity to move out of the area into Northwestern North Dakota by early Saturday. For Saturday and Sunday, an improvement in weather conditions is expected, with a slight chance for showers and thunderstorm Sunday afternoon. For the rest of next week, no major events are expected at this time. FGC && .AVIATION... MVFR or IFR this evening as thunderstorms move across the region. Some of the storms could be severe and may produce locally heavy rainfall. The greatest chances for showers and storms for KGGW and KOLF will be between 02Z and 06Z, with KGDV and KSDY more likely to experience storms between 06 and 09Z tonight. && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for Central and Southeast Phillips...Central and Southern Valley...Daniels...Eastern Roosevelt...Northern Phillips...Northern Valley...Sheridan... Southwest Phillips...Western Roosevelt. && weather.gov/glasgow
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</html>PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
222 PM MDT FRI JUN 28 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0713 PM TORNADO 6 SSE ZORTMAN 47.83N 108.49W
06/27/2019 PHILLIPS MT STORM CHASER
NARROW SWATH OF DAMAGE WITH TREE TOPS AND
POWER POLES SNAPPED.
&&
CLMThe Glasgow radar (KGGW), 156 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:02 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter reported 60 mph wind gusts, along with pea size hail.
Trained spotter reported half dollar size hail between 7:30 and 7:55 PM MDT.
A NWS Employee reported a metal structure was damaged by these strong wind gusts in central Phillips County.
Trained spotter reported wind-blown golf ball size hail damaged multiple pickup trucks and several house windows.
Public reported half dollar size hail, along with heavy rain and 45 mph wind gusts.
Cooperative observer reported 65 mph wind gusts and heavy rain.
Trained spotter reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
A 59 mph wind gust was measured at the Saco US-2 DOT site.
A NWS employee reported multiple 6 inch diameter tree limbs broken off, along with 3 inches of rain in just 30 minutes.
Trained spotter reported 65 mph wind gusts.
Storm chaser reported a healthy tree snapped off at its base by strong thunderstorm winds. Location along Highway 2 near mile marker 521. Time estimated by radar.
Public measured 62 mph wind gusts on their home weather station.
A NWS employee reported power poles bent, but not broken near the Milk River.
A NWS employee reported 60 mph wind gusts.
Trained spotter reported newly installed siding blown off of a house.
A 64 mph wind gust was recorded at the Poplar airport RAWS site. Time estimated by radar.
Public reported, via social media, quarter size hail.
Public reported quarter size hail in the town of Plentywood.
Trained spotter reported hail mostly up to the size of quarters, with a few stones at half dollar size. Time estimated by radar.
Trained spotter reported 5-inch diameter tree limbs broken off from strong winds, along with penny size hail.
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 836686, 836595, 836681, 836596, 836597, 836687, 836689, 836688, 836682, 836690, 836683, 836691, 836684, 836692, 836685, 836693, 836598, 836599, 836702, 836703.