Showers and thunderstorms crossed the Continental Divide during the afternoon of June 3 and strengthened as they moved over the plains of North-Central Montana. The storms appear to have peaked in the Great Falls area, where a few trees were damaged and some flash flooding occurred.
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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 TFX wrote it up.
Showers and thunderstorms crossed the Continental Divide during the afternoon of June 3 and strengthened as they moved over the plains of North-Central Montana. The storms appear to have peaked in the Great Falls area, where a few trees were damaged and some flash flooding occurred. These storms weekend as they moved eastward.
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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 3, 4:40 PM MST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 540 PM MDT Thu Jun 3 2021 ...Update to Aviation... .SYNOPSIS... Fair and mild conditions prevail overnight with increasing clouds. Isolated showers or thunderstorms are possible late this evening. Although a few degrees cooler on Friday, temperatures are still expected to reach the upper 80s to near 90. Scattered thunderstorms are likely to develop over Central and Southwest Montana Friday evening. A few of these stronger thunderstorms could produce hail and damaging wind gusts. Temperatures trend much cooler through the weekend, with strong winds across the region on Saturday. && .DISCUSSION... Afternoon temperatures are on their way toward the low- to mid- 90s, as expected today for North-central and Southwest Montana. A Heat Advisory remains in effect through 9pm, as the combination of hot temperatures, sunny skies, and dewpoint temperatures in the 40s to near 50 will create moderate risk of heat exposure for sensitive groups. A strong upper level ridge remains in place over the Northern Rockies today, but an area of convective clouds and developing showers over Western Montana reveals the beginning of a pattern change. The existing patch of showers is associated with a weak upper level disturbance and increasing mid-level lapse rates. Short-term forecast guidance maintains this weak disturbance and bring isolated showers into North-central Montana overnight into early Friday. Very little, if any precipitation would reach the surface from this elevated convection, but will increase cloud cover and help maintain quite mild temperatures overnight. Gusty winds associated with evaporating downdrafts might even produce a localized heat burst effect. Should this be realized, someone might observe the temperature rise a few degrees at their location overnight along with a short period of increased wind gusts. Temperatures remain well above average on Friday, but will drop a few degrees into the 80s to near 90 for most locations. Attention turns to Central and Southwest Montana Friday afternoon for the likely development of scattered thunderstorms. A stronger shortwave trough arrives from the west and flattens the upper level ridge. Moderate instability, steepening mid-level lapse rates, and adequate shear are favorable for the development of isolated supercells. Initial development may be isolated over mountain areas, but some of this activity should organize upscale to sustain convection that moves from Southwest into South-central and Southeast Montana through Friday evening. Lightning is a hazard with any thunderstorm activity, but a couple of these storms could become strong to severe, generating damaging wind gusts and marginally severe hail. If you have outdoor plans for Southwest Montana tomorrow afternoon, monitor the forecast for updates and prepare a backup plan to seek shelter should one of these storms move near your location. PN By Saturday, a zonal flow is in place across the northwest United States. The tightening height gradient across The Montana Rocky Mountains favors strong non-warning criteria westerly gusty winds. A few mountain showers may occur, Saturday afternoon; however, with the predominant state of the winds being westerly and gusty through the weekend, mostly dry conditions are expected. Beginning Saturday, temperatures cool by about 20 degrees and settle into highs mostly ranging in the 70s through the remainder of this forecast period. Tuesday through next Thursday, expect a chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms, as the upstream trof continues to impact The Treasure State. - Fogleman && .AVIATION... 540 PM MDT Thu Jun 3 2021 (04/00Z TAF period) Weakly unstable southwest flow aloft has triggered a band of showers and embedded thunderstorms across western Montana this afternoon. This activity will continue to move east/northeast through north central Montana, producing brief rain, gusty winds, and occasional lightning strikes through mid-evening. Isolated light showers could then persist into Friday morning but mostly clear to partly cloudy skies and widespread VFR conditions will prevail until late Friday morning. After 18Z, expect mostly cloudy skies with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms through the end of the forecast period. Some storms could produce strong and erratic wind gusts along with locally heavy rain and small hail. mpj Refer to weather.gov/zlc for more detailed regional aviation weather and hazard information. && .HYDROLOGY... Above average temperatures this week will cause increased snowmelt and subsequent runoff into area creeks, streams, and rivers. Flooding is not currently forecast, but waterways will be running faster and colder given the increased snowmelt. Always wear a life vest when recreating around rivers and lakes. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 60 89 55 76 / 30 20 0 10 CTB 58 83 51 68 / 10 10 0 0 HLN 62 90 57 81 / 20 30 10 10 BZN 55 90 51 85 / 0 40 10 20 WYS 41 82 43 77 / 10 40 10 10 DLN 55 88 51 81 / 10 30 10 10 HVR 62 91 56 80 / 30 30 0 0 LWT 59 87 54 79 / 20 40 20 30 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 9 PM MDT this evening Blaine...Broadwater... Cascade...Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Chouteau... Eastern Pondera...Eastern Teton...Fergus...Hill...Jefferson... Judith Basin...Liberty...Meagher...Toole. && http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
547 PM MDT Thu Jun 3 2021
MTZ046-049-040015-
Eastern Teton MT-Eastern Pondera MT-
547 PM MDT Thu Jun 3 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN PONDERA...EAST
CENTRAL TETON...WESTERN CHOUTEAU AND NORTHWESTERN CASCADE COUNTIES
UNTIL 615 PM MDT...
At 544 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles west of Power, or 16 miles east of Choteau, moving northeast at
40 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Dutton and Power.
LAT...LON 4792 11140 4773 11141 4765 11192 4774 11199
4799 11143
TIME...MOT...LOC 2344Z 247DEG 33KT 4773 11186
LudwigSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Great Falls MT 642 PM MDT Thu Jun 3 2021 MTZ012-013-046-049-040115- Chouteau MT-Cascade MT-Eastern Teton MT-Eastern Pondera MT- 642 PM MDT Thu Jun 3 2021 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN PONDERA...EAST CENTRAL TETON...SOUTHWESTERN CHOUTEAU AND NORTHEASTERN CASCADE COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM MDT... At 641 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 10 miles northeast of Dutton to near Great Falls. Movement was east at 20 mph. Half inch hail, winds in excess of 40 mph, and brief heavy rainfall will be possible with these storms. Locations impacted include... Great Falls, The Knees, Black Eagle, Malmstrom Afb, Floweree and Portage. LAT...LON 4813 11120 4744 11085 4739 11147 4799 11172 TIME...MOT...LOC 0041Z 250DEG 15KT 4796 11156 4750 11137 Ludwig
The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:50 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Video posted on Facebook shows a tree getting blown down on Skyline Drive NE. Some area Weather Underground weather station reported peak wind gusts of 50-55 MPH.
Off-Duty NWS employee reports some trees down in the stone meadows neighborhood on the north side of Great Falls.
Local Newspaper reports flash flooding occurred along 3rd St NW between the Fairgrounds and the Montana Department of Transportation Yard. Waters on the street reached 18 inches in depth and impeded access to several businesses in the area. Several motorists were stranded, and water began rising up through manholes in the street.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2021
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: 954393, 954394, 954409.