Thunderstorm Wind in Lincoln County, Montana

A quasi-linear convective system produced widespread wind damage across the county. Fallen trees blocked Highway 2 northwest of Troy, while snapped large cottonwoods caused minor damage to a carport on Missoula Avenue. Severe blowdown forced the closure of Callahan Creek Park disc golf course, and utility damage left 1,440 customers without power.

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.