Hail in Montana, July 7, 2022

Name: Hail in Montana, July 7, 2022
Start: 2022-07-07T16:48
End: 2022-07-07T20:15
Location: Montana

July 7, 2022 · NWS MSO · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

An open wave moving up from the south initiated multiple hail producing storms, and at least one with estimated severe winds.

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: $1.5 million
Crop damage: $1,000
Events: 8

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 MSO wrote it up.

An open wave moving up from the south initiated multiple hail producing storms, and at least one with estimated severe winds.

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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 7, 12:08 PM MST, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 7, 12:08 PM MST, 4 hours 40 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
108 PM MDT Thu Jul 7 2022

.DISCUSSION...Thunderstorms are in the forecast again today and
tomorrow. The combination of clear skies, a moist air mass, and
southwest flow are the standard ingredients for thunderstorms in
the Northern Rockies, and we have plenty of all of them. Generally,
we expect heavy rain with thunderstorms, but there is a slight
chance that some storms will be severe and produce 1 inch or
larger hail and/or winds 60 mph or more. The severe storm
potential this evening will remain greatest in southwest Montana,
namely Silver Bow county. Central Idaho and the rest of western
Montana can expect heavy rain with thunderstorms, which is a minor
downgrade in the expected intensity of storms compared to
previous forecasts.

Flash flooding is always a concern with thunderstorms with heavy
rain. For this evening, the storms are expected to be moving at
20-35 mph depending on location. This speed will keep them from
lingering too long in one place, which reduces the chances for a
flash flood. However, if storms start "training", which is
when they form one behind the other, then any location that gets
hit multiple times may still see some flash flooding. That is the
main threat we'll be watching for this evening. For Friday, the
thunderstorm situation looks very similar.

For the longer term forecast, the sub-tropical ridge over the
southwest is growing stronger. Early next week, a transitory ridge
will move across the Northern Rockies and become superimposed on
the high pressure centered over the Four Corners region of the US.
This will cause the warmest temperatures of the year so far, with
the best potential for western Montana locations to reach the
100F mark. Ensemble models agree very well on this, so forecast
confidence is high. Some moisture from the Desert Southwest
monsoon may work its way north and cause some thunderstorms over
southwest Montana next week.

But alas, the ridge is only transitory over our region, and
ensembles agree on it breaking down mid to late next week with a
return southwest flow. Naturally, this will bring back the
chances of thunderstorms.

&&

.AVIATION...Showers and thunderstorms are beginning to develop
across portions of Lemhi county and southwest Montana this
afternoon. The convection is anticipated to increase in coverage
and intensity across north central Idaho into west central and
southwest Montana during the remainder of the afternoon and
evening. KBTM and KSMN have the best chance of being impacted by a
thunderstorm until 08/02z. These storms will be capable of
producing heavy rain, hail, and gusty erratic winds. The models
are indicating that KMSO could be impacted by storms between
08/00z to 08/08z. Nocturnal convection appears to linger across
southern Lemhi county. Any places that receive some rain this
afternoon and evening have the potential of developing patchy fog
by Friday morning.

&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
ID...None.
&&

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 7, 1:55 PM MST, 2 hours 53 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 7, 3:10 PM MST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jul 7, 4:04 PM MST, 44 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 7, 4:14 PM MST, 34 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 7, 4:26 PM MST, 22 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jul 7, 4:28 PM MST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
528 PM MDT THU JUL 7 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0528 PM     HAIL             DEER LODGE              46.39N 112.74W
07/07/2022  M0.50 INCH       POWELL             MT   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PEA SIZE TO HALF INCH HAIL. HEAVY RAIN
            ONGOING.

&&

AL

The radar

The Missoula radar (KMSX), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Powell

When: July 7, 4:48 PM MST to 5:15 PM MST
Where: Powell County, 3.44 mi WSW of Elliston
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Unknown
Coordinates: 46.555, -112.489

Hail, Ravalli

When: July 7, 5:56 PM MST to 6:30 PM MST
Where: Ravalli County, 0.73 mi NNE of Stevensville Co Arpt
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $6,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.530, -114.046

Local reports between Stevensville and Florence, MT varied between 1 to 1.50 for hail size, with damage to cars, trees, and at least one garden. Damage to trees, and a barn blown over in Stevensville, suggested estimated wind gusts to near 70 mph emanating from the storm.

Hail, Granite

When: July 7, 6:00 PM MST to 6:27 PM MST
Where: Granite County, 1.47 mi NE of Bearmouth
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.715, -113.298

The hail accumulated to a depth of 2 feet.

Hail, Missoula

When: July 7, 6:16 PM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where: Missoula County, 5.77 mi SSE of Carlton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.626, -114.043

One inch hail was reported on the 'eastside' of Florence, MT.

Hail, Lake

When: July 7, 6:41 PM MST to 7:30 PM MST
Where: Lake County, 16.15 mi SW of Elmo to 1.6 mi NW of Polson Arpt
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 47.665, -114.596

There was a report of 1.25 hail from a storm that traversed the southern portions of Flathead Lake. Two greenhouse businesses in Jette, MT reported nickel size hail, or 7/8. A greenhouse received significant damage.

Hail, Lake

When: July 7, 6:55 PM MST to 7:45 PM MST
Where: Lake County, 11.04 mi N of Rollins
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.079, -114.222

This storm that moved generally from Lakeside northeast to the Flathead Valley just north of Echo Lake produced two reports of 1 inch hail. One of those reports was from Somers and the other along HWY-35 just north of Bigfork, MT.

Hail, Missoula

When: July 7, 7:33 PM MST to 8:15 PM MST
Where: Missoula County, 1.38 mi W of Seeley Lake Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 47.177, -113.479

A photo on Twitter depicted 1 hail in Seeley Lake, MT.

Hail, Flathead

When: July 7, 7:51 PM MST to 8:15 PM MST
Where: Flathead County, 1.34 mi W of Kalispell City Arpt to 0.29 mi E of Evergreen
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Property damage: $1.5 million
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.179, -114.329

There were multiple reports from Kalispell, MT of 1.75 to 2.5 hail which caused extensive body and windshield damage to vehicles. Additionally, multiple homes sustained damage, especially roofs that needed to be replaced. One homeowner spent $80,000 US dollars to replace their roof. A patio umbrella in Evergreen, MT was shredded. The property damage estimate could be underdone.

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

Every storm in Montana in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 1047536, 1044210, 1047548, 1044672, 1044675, 1044211, 1044676, 1044213.