A cold front moved through the region generating strong to severe thunderstorms from the late afternoon until around midnight.
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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 GGW wrote it up.
A cold front moved through the region generating strong to severe thunderstorms from the late afternoon until around midnight.
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 Aug 21, 1:10 PM MST, 4 hours 53 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 210 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024 .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGES: - Strong to severe thunderstorms across parts of northeast Montana late this afternoon through this evening. - Although temperatures will remain near or above average, a slow cooling trend is expected for early next week. WEATHER PATTERN OVERVIEW: As a trough over the Pacific Northwest moves inland, a shortwave trough is currently expected to track through northeast MT, bringing with it an opportunity for severe thunderstorms. North to northwesterly flow on a line from Glasgow to Jordan westward will limit thunderstorm intensity, but low level southeast winds and sufficient moisture east of that line will bring a better chance for severe storms. There is moderate to high (40 to 70 percent) confidence in severe thunderstorms on a line from Jordan to Glasgow eastward. Heavy rain, intense winds, and large hail are expected with this activity, which will occur from 4 PM to just after midnight tonight. A quiet is expected Thursday as a shortwave ridge moves in, but this will be short-lived as another shortwave trough will move in Friday. There will be low level moisture transport at 850 mb and a surface trough in place, so strong to severe thunderstorms are possible again. The trough over the Pacific Northwest will be over the area by Saturday night, so temperatures are expected to be near or below average from Sunday onward. There is low confidence on which way temperatures will go beyond next Wednesday. FORECAST CONFIDENCE & DEVIATIONS: There is moderate to high confidence in strong to severe thunderstorms developing on a line from Jordan to Glasgow to Opheim eastward, with weaker storms to the west. There is low confidence on severe thunderstorm location and timing for Friday's thunderstorms. There is low to medium confidence on cooler weather filling in at the end of the forecast period. && .AVIATION... Update Time: 2030Z Flight Categories: VFR, with MVFR in thunderstorms Synopsis: A surface cold front will shift eastward throughout the evening, bringing an opportunity for strong to severe thunderstorms this evening into the early overnight. Any storm is capable of producing MVFR conditions, including large hail, damaging winds, and heavy downpours from 22Z to 06Z before these storms move into North Dakota. Winds: For KGDV, KSDY, and KOLF: Southeast at 9 to 18 knots, becoming northwest at 6 to 12 knots after 06Z. For KGGW, light and variable becoming northwest at 8 to 13 knots after 22Z, becoming light and variable after midnight. Erratic winds in thunderstorms. && .GGW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && weather.gov/glasgow
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
411 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024
MTZ018-061-212315-
Northern Valley MT-Daniels MT-
411 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Daniels and
northeastern Valley Counties through 515 PM MDT
...
At 410 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles east of Port Of Opheim to 12 miles
southwest of Richland. Movement was east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Scobey, Richland, Port Of Scobey, Madoc, Peerless, Four Buttes, West
Fork, and Glentana.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 4862 10519 4859 10633 4900 10633 4900 10519
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 261DEG 33KT 4902 10621 4868 10621
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TFJSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
450 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024
MTZ059-061-212345-
Northern Valley MT-Northern Phillips MT-
450 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern
Phillips and northwestern Valley Counties through 545 PM MDT
...
At 450 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Whitewater, moving northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Whitewater.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4900 10715 4879 10689 4872 10775 4886 10785
4900 10755
TIME...MOT...LOC 2250Z 247DEG 23KT 4881 10770
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
TFJSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
Issued by National Weather Service Billings MT
653 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024
MTZ017-020-022-023-025-026-220200-
Central and Southern Valley-Western Roosevelt-Garfield-McCone-
Dawson-Prairie-
Including the cities of Glasgow, Fort Peck, Hinsdale, Frazer,
Wolf Point, Poplar, Jordan, Circle, Glendive, Richey, and Terry
653 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024
...Strong to Severe Thunderstorms This Evening...
Expect scattered strong to severe thunderstorm development through
8 PM.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1 AM.
JWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A NWS Employee estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gusts.
Public reported hail up to the size of quarters.
A trained spotter reported hail up to the size of quarters.
A trained spotter measured hail up to the size of quarters. Winds were estimated up to 60 mph.
Public reported hail up to the size of ping pong balls.
The Wolf Point Airport ASOS (KOLF) measured a 61 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The Poplar RAWS site (POPM8) measured a 62 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The BLM Glendive mesonet station (MTM28) measured a 67 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, August 2024
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: 1200562, 1199175, 1199176, 1199177, 1199178, 1200563, 1200564, 1200565.