Montana, 2020

Hail in Montana, July 6, 2020

July 6, 2020 · NWS GGW · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A stationary front and unstable atmosphere combined with moderate shear, to form and sustain severe thunderstorms across portions of northeast 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 stationary front and unstable atmosphere combined with moderate shear, to form and sustain severe thunderstorms across portions of northeast Montana.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jul 6, 9:41 AM MST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 6, 9:41 AM MST, 2 hours 57 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 6, 11:52 AM MST, 46 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 6, 12:20 PM MST, 18 minutes before
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The radar

The Glasgow radar (KGGW), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:38 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, McCone

When
July 6, 12:38 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 6.68 mi SE of Circle McCone Co Arp
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.340, -105.490

Public reported hail up to slightly larger than quarters covering the ground.

Hail, McCone

When
July 6, 2:32 PM MST
Where
McCone County, 12.37 mi ENE of Vida
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.870, -105.240

Public reported hail up to the size of half dollars, along with over an inch of rainfall. Time estimated from radar.

Hail, Valley

When
July 6, 3:40 PM MST
Where
Valley County, 1.66 mi SSW of Saint Marie
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
48.400, -106.540

Public reported quarter size hail.

What these are

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

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 904949, 904950, 904951.