Montana, 2025

Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025 · NWS GGW · 11 events in 3 counties and zones

Strong thunderstorms became severe as they moved from central Montana into eastern Montana.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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 GGW wrote it up.

Strong thunderstorms became severe as they moved from central Montana into eastern Montana.

The radar

The Glasgow radar (KGGW), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:37 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Phillips

When
July 17, 5:35 PM MST
Where
Phillips County, 2.69 mi ENE of Malta South Dot
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
47.990, -108.270

Quarter size hail estimated from webcam imagery from the Malta South US-191 DOT site.

Thunderstorm Wind, Phillips

When
July 17, 5:50 PM MST
Where
Phillips County, 15.85 mi WSW of Sun Prairie
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.820, -108.000

Trained spotter reported multiple 6-inch diameter tree limbs broken off, in addition to heavy rain. Wind speed estimated at 60 mph.

Hail, Garfield

When
July 17, 7:05 PM MST
Where
Garfield County, 6.68 mi NW of Brusett
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.430, -107.330

Trained spotter reported damaged windshields of six vehicles and shattered house windows, all from hen egg size hail.

Hail, Garfield

When
July 17, 7:10 PM MST
Where
Garfield County, 6 mi NNE of Brusett
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.430, -107.200

Cooperative observer reported that their rain gauge was destroyed by ping pong ball size hail.

Hail, Petroleum

When
July 17, 7:20 PM MST
Where
Petroleum County, 5.84 mi NNE of Flatwillow
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.910, -108.360

Public reported hen egg size hail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Petroleum

When
July 17, 7:30 PM MST
Where
Petroleum County, 7.91 mi SE of Winnett
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.920, -108.230

Trained spotter measured a 60 mph wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind, Petroleum

When
July 17, 7:30 PM MST
Where
Petroleum County, 1.38 mi N of Winnett
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
47.020, -108.350

A wind gust of 63 mph was measured by the Winnett MT-200 DOT site.

Hail, Petroleum

When
July 17, 7:50 PM MST
Where
Petroleum County, 12.74 mi ESE of Winnett
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.930, -108.100

Trained spotter reported golf ball size hail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Petroleum

When
July 17, 7:50 PM MST
Where
Petroleum County, 12.74 mi ESE of Winnett
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.930, -108.100

Trained spotter reported a 60 mph wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind, Petroleum

When
July 17, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Petroleum County, 22.96 mi E of Flatwillow
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.780, -107.920

A wind gust of 66 mph was measured at the Mosby South HydroMet site (Montana Climate Office network).

Thunderstorm Wind, Garfield

When
July 17, 9:00 PM MST
Where
Garfield County, 18.84 mi SE of Cohagen
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.850, -106.300

A wind gust of 66 mph was measured at the Hillside MT-59 DOT site.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, July 2025

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: 1266821, 1266826, 1266822, 1266823, 1266824, 1266827, 1266828, 1266825, 1266829, 1266830, 1266831.