A strong Low Pressure system dropped south out of Canada. This would produce convective showers and a few thunderstorms over the region, some of which would produce strong downdraft winds.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 GGW wrote it up.
A strong Low Pressure system dropped south out of Canada. This would produce convective showers and a few thunderstorms over the region, some of which would produce strong downdraft winds.
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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 19, 1:39 AM MST, 9 hours 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 239 AM MDT Thu May 19 2022 .DISCUSSION... A cold front currently moving through eastern Montana will bring some showers in the SE part of the forecast area this morning. Stacked surface and upper low will move along the MT/SK border today and then continue east along the ND/SK/MB border tonight. Northeast Montana will see strong west winds and cooler temperatures today. There will be a Lake Wind Advisory in effect today through Friday for Fort Peck Lake. 850 mb winds will be 40-45 knots today which is not strong enough for a High Wind Warning. Some locations will see wind gusts near 50 mph at times. Fire weather is a concern as RH this afternoon will be as low as 20 percent in the SW. At this point, there is enough greenup to limit fire spread. As the low moves to the east this afternoon and tonight, wrap around moisture on the back side of the low moves into the forecast area which will bring some rain showers that will mix with snow showers tonight as temperatures fall to near freezing. There is good chance for accumulating snow in the higher elevation of the Little Rockies tonight which may require a Winter Weather Advisory. An upper trough lingers over the area through the weekend. Northerly flow aloft on Friday and Saturday will keep temperatures on the cold side. A somewhat unstable atmosphere could bring a few showers at times on Friday. Surface high will diminish the winds Friday Night and most areas will have lows near or below freezing. Temperatures will warm Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday as the flow turns more zonal aloft. && .AVIATION... Flight Category: VFR today and MVFR-IFR tonight. WINDS: West to northwest winds 15 to 25 knots early this morning will increase to 20 to 30 knots by afternoon with gusts to 40 knots at times. Winds will turn NW than north tonight at speeds of 15 to 25 knots. DISCUSSION: A cold front will move to the east this morning. KGDV and KSDY will have some showers at times before 13z this morning. Low pressure will move east today along the Canadian Border. A dry slot this morning will allow for a period of clear skies before low and mid level clouds move in this afternoon. Low clouds will bring MVFR and IFR ceilings tonight with rain and snow showers at times. && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Lake Wind Advisory until 9 PM MDT Friday For Fort Peck Lake for Central and Southeast Phillips...Central and Southern Valley... Garfield...McCone...Petroleum. && weather.gov/glasgow
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The mesonet site (MTM69), 3.6 E Wagner, measured a 58 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The mesonet site (07MT) at 1 NE Saint Marie measured a 61 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The Glasgow Airport ASOS (KGGW) measured a 59 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The mesonet site (MTM87) at Fort Peck S. recorded a 59 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The Jordan Airport AWOS (KJDN) measured a 61 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The mesonet site (MTM88) Jordan E, measured a 59 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The Wolf Point Airport ASOS (KOLF) measured a 58 mph wind gust.
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, May 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: 1023380, 1023346, 1023369, 1023384, 1023402, 1023406, 1023434.