Thunderstorm Wind — Mccone, Montana

2001-07-20 · near Circle, Mccone, Montana

Event narrative

Damaging downburst winds blew down 25 steel electric towers as well as 25 wooden power poles. It also caused 100 percent crop damage over a 20 mile long area starting from 10 miles north and northwest of Circle, then southeast along Highway 200 to the Dawson County line. The crop damage ranged from 1 to 5 miles wide. Several farms had significant damage to buildings and property. The town of Circle had the grain elevators crushed in, with significant wind damage to other portions of the elevator buildings. Metal sheeting from the grain elevators was found downstream nearly a mile away. Many houses and vehicles had windows broken or shattered, and large trees were uprooted. The Circle Airport had a measured wind gust of 113 mph.

Wider weather episode

A large supercell formed in Southwestern Phillips County and headed east across southern Valley County. The storm produced a tornado that crossed from Phillips County into Valley County. The tornado dissipated as the storm moved east, but golfball size hail was reported for 20 minutes at The Pines Recreation Area. The storm crossed over the east side of Ft. Peck Lake and formed another tornado near the Rock Creek Recreation area. The tornado then crossed Highway 24, in McCone County. Four inch diameter hail was reported with this storm at the time of the tornado. The tornado continued in a southeast path towards the town of Circle. The last known location of the tornado before it dissipated was 22 miles northwest of Circle. Downburst winds and golfball size hail then became the more significant threat from this storm. The hail and high winds caused a large area of 100 percent crop damage from 10 miles north and northwest of Circle to Lindsay. The damage swath was 1 to 5 miles wide. Other large hail and high wind reports were received from the Richey and Bloomfield areas in northwestern Dawson County as well. 25 large steel electrical towers were blown over in the area between Circle and Richey, and 25 wooden electrical poles were snapped also. The storm continued southeast toward Glendive and then followed Interstate 94 into North Dakota. No more substantial damage was reported once the storm passed through the Lindsay area. A few smaller tornados were reported by law enforcement officials northwest and north of the Glendive area, but they did not cause any damage and were short lived.

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Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5262655. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.