Periods of convective and upslope precipitation brought areal and river flooding June 11 through June 16. Rainfall of 2 to 6 inches was common for the lower elevations of Northwest Montana between June 11 and June 15.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
Periods of convective and upslope precipitation brought areal and river flooding June 11 through June 16. Rainfall of 2 to 6 inches was common for the lower elevations of Northwest Montana between June 11 and June 15. Mountain locations received up to 10 inches of moisture over the same period. River flooding continued well into late June for the Flathead River.
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 12, 2:00 AM MST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
300 AM MDT Sun Jun 12 2022
.DISCUSSION...
Key Points:
1) Wet days continue into early next week. Hydrologic concerns are
small streams/creeks approach bankfull with a few mainstream
rivers already into minor flood stage and a few more forecast by
Monday to rise into minor flood stage. Rock/debris flows
possibilities as well.
2) Heavy snow for Glacier Park region late Monday into Tuesday.
3) Gusty winds Monday/Tuesday
4) Warming up late next week.
Details:
Things have temporarily quieted down across the region with The
Flathead River at Colombia Falls, The Bitterroot River at Bell
Crossing, and The South Fork of the Clearwater River at Stites
are all into minor flood stage. By afternoon today, the next surge
of moisture, which is associated with the main trough moving
onshore, will begin to affect Clearwater, Idaho, and Lemhi
Counties of Idaho. Expect light to moderate rain with the
potential of thunderstorms along the periphery of the main rain
shield. These storms will be capable of very heavy rain rates,
potentially exceeding 0.25 inch per hour.
This area of precipitation will rotate through west-central and
northwest Montana bringing light to moderate periods of rain. Our
focus will be on the following rivers to potentially rise to minor
flooding; The Bitterroot at Missoula, The Clark Fork above
Missoula, and The Clearwater at Orofino. Please continue to check
with local authorities if you live near or plan travel near any
of the current rivers in minor flood stage or forecast to reach
minor flood stage within the next 24-48 hours.
Late Monday, the mid-level low pressure system is forecast to
close-off near the Canadian border. Western Montana will be on
the cold side of the low and snow levels are expected to lower to
between 5000-6000 feet, and potentially lower in heavier
precipitation. Back country users across our entire forecast area
need to plan for wet and raw conditions Monday night through
Wednesday morning. That said, visitors to the Glacier National
Park Region including the Flathead, Swan, and Whitefish Ranges
need to plan for wet and heavy accumulating snow above 6000 feet.
Above 6000 feet accumulations in these areas may be 7 to 14 inches
by late Tuesday. The wet and raw conditions may cause hypothermia
for unprepared hikers and heavy, wet snow may bring down tree
branches in campsites or on high back country roads.
By late week temperatures will rebound into the 80s in Western
Montana and near 90 in Hells Canyon Idaho. The models are in
fairly good agreement that a deep trough will build off the west
coast creating southwest flow. This is a good flow pattern for
thunderstorm develop so both Thursday and Friday may have
afternoon thunderstorms with the chances increasing on Friday.
This trough is forecast to bring another widespread precipitation
event to the Northern Rockies over the weekend, although this one
looks to have much less available moisture.
&&
.AVIATION...A few showers remain Sunday morning but less
widespread than Saturday. Widespread showers and isolated
thunderstorms will once again overspread the Northern Rockies
Sunday afternoon/evening ahead of an approaching upper level
trough. An area of persistent precipitation will develop after
12/20z in Clearwater, Idaho, and Lemhi Counties of Idaho
potentially affecting both ceilings and visibilities at local
terminals. This system will spread north and east through west-
central and northwest Montana during the overnight. Expect both
KGPI and KMSO to be affected by low visibility and ceilings after
13/02z in moderate precipitation. Throughout Sunday the Northern
Rockies airspace will have a persistent precipitation shield
causing terrain obscurations and reduced visibility and ceilings
at terminals.
&&
.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Flood Watch through Monday afternoon Bitterroot/Sapphire
Mountains...Flathead/Mission Valleys...Kootenai/Cabinet
Region...Lower Clark Fork Region...Missoula/Bitterroot
Valleys...West Glacier Region.
Winter Storm Watch from Monday evening through late Tuesday
night ABOVE 5000 FEET for the West Glacier Region.
ID...Flood Watch through Monday afternoon Lower Hells Canyon/Salmon
River Region...Northern Clearwater Mountains...
Orofino/Grangeville Region...Southern Clearwater Mountains.
&&The Missoula radar (KMSX), 24 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:42 UTC.
4 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Bitterroot River near Missoula briefly reached minor flood stage with limited impacts of water into low lying areas adjacent to the river.
The Flathead River at Columbia Falls reached minor flood stage on June 12 as Flathead Lake reached full pool, and continued at minor flood stage until June 26. Impacts included groundwater flooding agricultural fields along the Steel Bridge Road. Also water flooded recreational vehicle sites and surrounded some trailer homes just northwest of the Highway 35 bridge over the Flathead River. This event did prompt Flathead County to spin up an Emergency Operations Center with the Sheriff as the IC.
The Clark Fork River above Missoula briefly reached minor flood stage with limited impacts of water into low lying areas adjacent to the river.
The Yaak River near Troy reached minor flood stage with limited impact noted. More significant impacts occurred along Hwy 508 between US Highway 2 and Yaak, as debris and water across the road resulted in a closure for much of June 14.
Several areas of flooding and debris flows occurred, mainly on June 15. Trumbull Creek west of Columbia Falls, flooded a dozen homes near Highway 2 with water on to the highway. Flooding also occurred on North Hilltop Road along Garnier Creek and Blankenship Road near Columbia Falls with water running across Highway 2 from nearby hillsides. Debris flows occurred on the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir forcing the closure of West Side Road in the Graves Creek area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2022
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: 1027791, 1027776, 1027778, 1027763, 1027773.