Montana, 2020

Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 3, 2020

July 3, 2020 · NWS GGW · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

A favorable wind pattern, both aloft and at the surface, combined with a very unstable atmosphere to form strong thunderstorms off the higher terrain of southern Montana and northern Wyoming. These storms eventually became severe as they moved northeastward through eastern Montana.

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

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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 GGW wrote it up.

A favorable wind pattern, both aloft and at the surface, combined with a very unstable atmosphere to form strong thunderstorms off the higher terrain of southern Montana and northern Wyoming. These storms eventually became severe as they moved northeastward through eastern Montana.

The radar

The Glasgow radar (KGGW), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, McCone

When
July 3, 5:49 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 18.23 mi W of Weldon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.560, -106.220

Trained spotter reported hail up the size of golf balls for more than ten minutes.

Hail, McCone

When
July 3, 6:15 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 4.27 mi W of Brockway
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.290, -105.860

Trained spotter reported plentiful hail up to the size of quarters.

Hail, McCone

When
July 3, 6:40 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 17.56 mi SSE of Ft Peck Lake Handar
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.800, -106.160

Trained spotter reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Wibaux

When
July 3, 7:00 PM MST to 7:15 PM MST
Where
Wibaux County, 2.46 mi WSW of Beaver Hill Dot
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.990, -104.300

Trained spotter reported quarter size hail, lasting for approximately 15 minutes, as well as wind gusts up to 50 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wibaux

When
July 3, 7:10 PM MST
Where
Wibaux County, Pine Hill Raws
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
46.780, -104.580

At the Pine Hills RAWS site (PNHM8), a 59 mph wind gust was recorded. Time estimated by radar.

Thunderstorm Wind, Roosevelt

When
July 3, 8:47 PM MST
Where
Roosevelt County, 1.15 mi NE of Nd Stateline Hwy 2 Dot
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
48.140, -104.050

At the US-2 @Stateline DOT site (MTSTA), a 67 mph gust was recorded.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, July 2020

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 899658, 899663, 899664, 899665, 899674, 899675.