Lightning in Montana

Events

51

Deaths

9

Injuries

38

Damage

$657,000

• Hail and Lightning Strike in Montana, September 18, 19981 death · 1 injured · 1 in hail · 3 eventsOne man died after lightning struck him and a friend while the two were bow hunting. The two were hunting between Crooked Creek and Barrel Springs when a thunderstorm moved overhead. The two took cover under a tree. Lightning struck the pair knocking both unconscious.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, July 8, 19981 death · 1 injured · 1 eventTwo people were struck by lightning on Blue Mountain and one died.
• Hail and Lightning Strike in Montana, June 25, 19991 death · 1.75 in hail · 9 eventsSpotter report of dime size hail.
• Hail and Lightning Strike in Montana, July 31, 20201 death · 1.75 in hail · 2 eventsA significantly unstable atmosphere and favorable winds produced many strong thunderstorms across eastern Montana, on of which became severe over Sheridan County.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, July 17, 19991 death · 1 eventA 13 year old girl was stuck and killed by lightning on the Tongue River Reservoir.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, June 17, 19991 death · 1 event
• Lightning Strike in Montana, May 18, 20071 death · 1 eventScattered thunderstorms developed over the area associated with a cold front. Lightning associated with one of the storms killed a man who was in a boat fishing on Canyon Ferry Reservoir.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, July 4, 20091 death · 1 eventA thunderstorm resulting in a lightning fatality moved across the northwest portions of Billings during the evening hours of July 4th.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, June 11, 20111 death · 1 eventCarbon County officials reported that a rancher was struck and killed by lightning in the Pryor Mountains.
• Tornado and Hail in Montana, May 20, 2020$737,000 · EF0 · 49 eventsAn expansive surface low pressure area and plentiful moisture shifted into eastern Montana and directed multiple and persistent severe thunderstorms from south to north through the region from mid-afternoon through then late night hours of the 20th.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Montana, July 17, 20138 injured · 1.25 in hail · 8 eventsConvective activity developed early in the afternoon with thunderstorms rapidly developing over West and Southwest Montana in response to an upper trough moving across Northwest Montana into southern Alberta.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, May 27, 2010$250,000 · 1 eventAs thunderstorms moved through the Bitterroot Valley, a home northeast of Corvallis was hit by lightning and burned by fire.
• Hail and Lightning Strike in Montana, July 5, 1998$110,000 · 2.75 in hail · 10 eventsDime to quarter sized hail reported.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, July 6, 2009$140,000 · 1 eventA late night thunderstorm burned down a home in St. Ignatius from a lightning strike.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, June 18, 20223 injured · $20,000 · 1 in hail · 11 eventsDeep southerly flow brought sufficient instability and shear to the region. An approaching trough provided sufficient forcing for ascent, resulting in a few severe thunderstorms across western portions of North-central Montana.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, July 14, 2014$100,000 · 1 eventA single lightning bolt killed cattle at a ranch located in Darby, Montana.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, July 30, 2023$70,000 · 1 eventScattered mostly dry thunderstorms developed on the afternoon on the 28th with subsequent lightning leading to a fire that damaged a local hay crop.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 1, 2010$37,000 · 70 kt wind · 14 eventsAn upper trough moving east into the Pacific Northwest and bumping into a warm and unstable airmass over eastern Montana triggered severe thunderstorms mainly after sunset. Heavy rain also occurred in an area that produced flash flooding.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, August 13, 20035 injured · 1 eventA youth group of kids and a few adults were rafting down the Missouri River during the late afternoon hours on the 13th. A fast moving thunderstorm approached and a lightning bolt struck the raft. Most of the people in the raft fell into the water.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, June 19, 2003$30,000 · 1.75 in hail · 8 eventsStrong thunderstorms moved through Ravalli and Missoula Counties between 1250 PM and 240 PM MST, producing large hail and damaging winds.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, August 10 to 11, 2019$10,000 · 2 in hail · 29 eventsA Pacific trough approached and eventually moved through North-central and Southwest Montana on Saturday, August 10th and the morning of Sunday, August 11th.
• Hail and Lightning Strike in Montana, July 20, 20063 injured · 1 in hail · 3 events
• Lightning Strike in Montana, May 16, 20013 injured · 1 eventThree men suffered minor injuries when lightning struck their truck as they were crack sealing on Interstate 94.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, September 9, 20053 injured · 1 eventThree highschool golfers were struck by lightning at a golf tournament at the Anaconda Country Club. One boy was not breathing and had no pulse prior to CPR. This boy spent a few days in the hospital. The other two golfers were not seriously injured.
• Lightning Strike in Montana, July 26, 20113 injured · 1 eventScattered thunderstorms moved across southern Park County during the late afternoon hours of Tuesday July 26. A woman leading a horseback ride in a wooded area at about 530pm in the Chico area was struck by lightning.

Lightning everywhereEvery kind of event in Montana

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.