Flash Flood — Cascade, Montana

2023-06-05 · near Fields, Cascade, Montana

Event narrative

Water and debris rushed across several areas of Wilson Butte Road resulted in damage and impacts. Water flowed out of the rockier boulder terrain on the east side of the road, crossed the road with water depth being 2 to 3 feet deep at times. Water and debris entered at least two homes. One culvert was completely washed out with drainage pipes unearthed. Some wheat crops were flattened. NWS Employee that lives along the road had water enter their basement. Wilson Butte Road was impassable for approximately an hour.

Wider weather episode

Several rounds of rain and thunderstorms affected much of Montana during the first half of June. Flash flooding occurred across portions of the region, especially across Fergus County as well as the Rocky Mountains. Fergus County was hit exceptionally hard as several days of occasional heavy rain exasperated area creeks and streams. Casino Creek, located south of Lewistown, was washed out in at least two locations with significant road repairs required. Cottonwood Creek to the west of Casino Creek completely washed out Cotton Creek Road in several areas. Across the Rocky Mountains, easterly flow compressed moisture along the Rocky Mountain Front Range resulting in heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Several debris flows were reported. Portions of Glacier National Park were temporarily closed due to rock slides and debris flows. The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest also reported several flooding impacts. Across Meagher and Broadwater Counties, heavy rain affected the Woods Creek and Deep Creek burn scar areas, resulting in flash flooding along Highway 12. Flash flooding also occurred just south of Great Falls along Wilson Butte Road from a rapidly developing thunderstorm that produced 1.37 inches of rain in less than an hour at a NWS employee's home along Wilson Butte Road. A brief tornado also occurred across rural Hill County and was greatly photographed, but no damage was reported.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (47.4067, -111.2921)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1105458. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.