A west to east moving wave from Washington State, initiated a few supercell thunderstorms. These storms brought damaging hail and damaging wind to Lincoln County.
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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 MSO wrote it up.
A west to east moving wave from Washington State, initiated a few supercell thunderstorms. These storms brought damaging hail and damaging wind to Lincoln County.
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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 24, 1:10 PM MST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Missoula MT 210 PM MDT Wed Jun 24 2020 .DISCUSSION...Showers and thunderstorms are forming in central Idaho and Western Montana. On satellite we can see a line of clouds from southwest to northeast, and that is most likely our weak cold front. As the afternoon heats up, thunderstorms are expected to continue forming along this boundary. The most likely areas to see thunderstorms will be south and east of Missoula, including central Idaho. The atmosphere is unusually moist, therefore the biggest threat will be brief heavy rain. However, lightning, gusty winds, and small hail are also expected. Light showers are possible through tomorrow morning. Friday and Saturday are still on track to be warm and breezy. Some clouds will form along ridges, but it is unlikely showers will move into valleys until late Saturday. Starting Saturday evening, light showers will form in northwest Montana, which will signal a significant change in weather. A closed low with origins in the Aleutian Islands will drop into Eastern Washington on Sunday. This is a cool system, and temperatures Sunday will be 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Saturday. In addition, winds along the Continental Divide and in northwest Montana will turn to the northeast late Sunday. This will allow the system to tap into moist air east of the divide and pull it across into Western Montana. Expect a multi-day high precipitation event for most of Western Montana. Backcountry users need to be prepared for cool and wet conditions. Generally, snow levels are expected to be above 9000 feet. However, on Tuesday in areas like the Whitefish Mountains, Swan Mountains, Bob Marshall Wilderness, and Glacier National Park, snow levels could drop as low as 8000 feet in heavier precipitation. Multi-day precipitation totals in the higher terrain of northwest Montana will range from 2 to 3 inches, with a 30% chance both Sunday and Monday of an inch or more each day. Valleys of W. Montana will generally receive 0.50 to 0.75 of an inch, with locations such as the Flathead, Swan, and Glacier National Park receiving 0.75 to 1 inch. Central Idaho will generally receive 0.50 an inch in valleys to 1 inch in the higher terrain. Late on Tuesday, the closed low will move off to the northeast, and the model ensembles generally agree a cool trough will remain over the Northern Rockies. Expect continued cool and unsettled weather through the end of the week. && .AVIATION... Showers and thunderstorms are have initiated across the northern Rockies this afternoon. A weak cold front oriented southwest to northeast is moving through terminal KMSO at 20Z, and is expected to continue moving southeast through the evening. Models have been consistently showing thunderstorms ahead of this front with some weaker storms and showers behind it. The strongest storms are expected to affect terminal KBTM after 00Z with storms potentially in the area until 07Z. && .MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...None. ID...None. &&
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Missoula MT 320 PM MDT Wed Jun 24 2020 MTZ001-242200- Kootenai/Cabinet Region MT- 320 PM MDT Wed Jun 24 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN AND WEST CENTRAL FLATHEAD COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM MDT... At 319 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 16 miles southeast of Libby, moving east at 25 mph. Nickel size hail will be possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of southeastern Lincoln and west central Flathead Counties. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 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 4813 11536 4830 11542 4845 11480 4819 11470 TIME...MOT...LOC 2119Z 256DEG 22KT 4824 11528
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Missoula MT 350 PM MDT Wed Jun 24 2020 MTZ001>003-242245- Flathead/Mission Valleys MT-West Glacier Region MT- Kootenai/Cabinet Region MT- 350 PM MDT Wed Jun 24 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN LAKE AND SOUTH CENTRAL FLATHEAD COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM MDT... At 345 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8 miles southwest of Big Arm, or 13 miles west of Polson, moving east at 35 mph. Half inch hail and winds in excess of 30 mph will be possible with this storm. Also, frequent cloud-to-ground lightning will threaten boaters and those recreating along the shoreline of Flathead Lake. Locations impacted include... Flathead Lake, Polson, Woods Bay, Bigfork, Jette, Kings Point, Rocky Point, Kerr, Big Arm, Turtle Lake, Proctor, Elmo, Finley Point, Dayton, Lakeside, Rollins and Niarada. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Lightning will be a significant threat for boaters on Flathead Lake. Get out of the water and seek shelter until at least 30 minutes after lightning has ended. && LAT...LON 4763 11451 4780 11460 4811 11408 4770 11380 TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 249DEG 30KT 4775 11445
The Missoula radar (KMSX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:58 UTC.
4 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A photo on social media showed several hailstones that were a little larger than a quarter. Also hail was reported to have accumulated several inches in the storm's path.
A photo was received via social media of a hailstone that appeared a little larger than a golf ball in Kila. Damage to cars, trailer and roof in Kila was also reported. Half dollar hail was reported in Kalispell and just south of Whitefish.
Significant power line and power pole damage was reported by the power company, due to multiple, downed trees. A photo on social media showed a large pine tree on top of a car. Power was out in the area for almost 24 hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2020
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: 895727, 895728, 895729, 895732, 895737.