Hail in Flathead County, Montana

Multiple photos of oblong hail placed on top of a ruler were shared on Facebook. Another person who lives south of MT-83 reported that they lost their greenhouse and their patio furniture went flying across the patio.

A highly unstable environment developed across western Montana, fueled by pooling moisture and steep lapse rates. Shortwave energy rotating around a broader upper-level trough provided the necessary lift for convective initiation which resulted in large hail. As storms moved into the Idaho Panhandle and interacted with the local terrain, they organized into two distinct quasi-linear convective systems, producing widespread severe wind gusts across Lincoln and Flathead Counties.