Hail — Sweet Grass, Montana

2014-05-18 · near Big Timber, Sweet Grass, Montana

Wider weather episode

The seasons first severe weather outbreak occurred during the afternoon and evening hours of the 18th. A cluster of thunderstorms developed across Sweet Grass and Stillwater Counties during the early afternoon hours as an upper level impulse approached the area. As the line moved east into a more favorable buoyancy/shear environment, (MLCAPE combined with 500 to 1500J/KG along with effective shears of 55 to 60kts) the thunderstorms quickly intensified, especially over the Billings area.

Three large feeder-lines went down leaving 2,600 customers in Laurel and the West End of Billings without power for about an hour. In addition, the large hail, some of which was the size of walnuts and a few tennis ball size, resulted in considerable damage to homes and cars across the immediate Billings area.

As for area crops, the hail mowed a 3,000 acre patch across sugar beet farms from Billings to Hardin. Winter wheat, 64 percent of which had been rated good to excellent, took a beating, as did malt barley. Sugar beets seemed to get the worst of the damage. The heaviest damage was found north of Hardin, west of Billings and north of Worden/Shepherd.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (45.8300, -109.9400)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 511755. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.