Montana, 2022

Flash Flooding and Hail in Montana, July 24, 2022

July 24, 2022 · NWS BYZ · 12 events in 3 counties and zones

An isolated severe thunderstorm occurred across eastern Stillwater County and Southwest Yellowstone County during the early evening hours on the 24th. This thunderstorm produced large hail, very high wind gusts and torrential rain.

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
12

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 BYZ wrote it up.

An isolated severe thunderstorm occurred across eastern Stillwater County and Southwest Yellowstone County during the early evening hours on the 24th. This thunderstorm produced large hail, very high wind gusts and torrential rain.

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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 24, 12:49 PM MST, 3 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 12:49 PM MST, 3 hours 56 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 24, 3:58 PM MST, 47 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 24, 3:58 PM MST, 47 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 24, 4:04 PM MST, 41 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 24, 4:26 PM MST, 19 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 24, 4:30 PM MST, 15 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 24, 4:37 PM MST, 8 minutes before
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The radar

The Billings radar (KBLX), 51 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Stillwater

When
July 24, 4:45 PM MST
Where
Stillwater County, 0.96 mi E of Rapelje
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.970, -109.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Big Horn

When
July 24, 5:30 PM MST
Where
Big Horn County, 2.84 mi NW of Kirby
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.330, -107.020

Several tree limbs were downed.

Hail, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 5:45 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 4.82 mi W of Billings Logan Arpt
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.800, -108.630

Hail, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 5:50 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 4.82 mi W of Billings Logan Arpt
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.800, -108.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 5:50 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 4.82 mi W of Billings Logan Arpt
Measured
59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.800, -108.630

Hail, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 5:57 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 2.89 mi W of Billings Logan Arpt
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.800, -108.590

Hail, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 2.93 mi SSE of Billings Logan Arpt
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.760, -108.510

Hail, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 6:05 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 1.68 mi SE of Billings Logan Arpt
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.780, -108.510

Hail, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 6:10 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 1.19 mi SW of Billings Logan Arpt
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.790, -108.550

Flash Flood, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 6:20 PM MST to 8:30 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 0.27 mi S of Billings Logan Arpt to 1.68 mi NE of Billings Logan Arpt
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.796, -108.531

The Sheriffs Office flooded. Some fire engines windows were broken due to wind-driven hail.

Flash Flood, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 7:20 PM MST to 8:30 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 0.99 mi SSW of Billings Logan Arpt to 2.46 mi E of Billings Logan Arpt
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.787, -108.539

Several streets in downtown Billings flooded.

Flash Flood, Yellowstone

When
July 24, 7:30 PM MST to 8:30 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone County, 1.13 mi SSW of Billings to 0.12 mi SW of Billings
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.785, -108.490

Multiple streets in downtown Billings flooded.

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.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, July 2022

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: 1041422, 1041429, 1041423, 1041424, 1041430, 1041425, 1041426, 1041427, 1041428, 1041432, 1041433, 1041436.