Petroleum County, Montana
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1962 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
8
Tornado reports
115
Hail reports
24
Floods since 1996
389
All events
1
Deaths
$1.1M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Petroleum County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 8 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
One man died after lightning struck him and a friend while the two were bow hunting. The two were hunting between Crooked Creek and Barrel Springs when a thunderstorm moved overhead. The two took cover under a tree. Lightning struck the pair knocking both unconscious. When the on…
Drought Drought
The southern edge of Petroleum County remained in D2 drought conditions through the entire month of June.
Drought Drought
D2 drought conditions developed in south-central and southeastern portions of Petroleum County in the last week of May and remained through the end of the month.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Winnett SW Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WIEM8) measured a 72 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The War Horse NW Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WRHM8) measured a 72 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Dry Blood Creek RAWS site (DBCM8), measured a 59 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The War Horse NW Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WRHM8) measured a 69 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Winnett SW Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WIEM8) measured a 61 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Winnett MT-200 Montana Climate Office mesonet site (MTWIN) measured a 58 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Dovetail Montana Climate Office mesonet site (VLTM8) measured a 68 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Jitney Road Montana Climate Office mesonet site (MOBM8) measured a 61 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Winnett MT-200 DOT site (MTWIN) measured a 64 mph wind gust.
High Wind High Wind
The WarHorse NW Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WRHM8) recorded sustained winds near or greater than 40 mph for a period of 3 hours.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall reports from Co-Op observers and multiple Montana Climate Office mesonet sites across Petroleum County ranged from 11 to 20 inches.
High Wind High Wind
Multiple observations in Petroleum County recorded wind gusts in excess of 58 mph, the strongest of which was 74 mph, measured at the War Horse NW Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WRHM8). Some observations from Petroleum County were sporadic due to power outages.
High Wind High Wind
Multiple observations in Petroleum County recorded wind gusts in excess of 57 mph, the strongest of which was 65 mph, measured at the War Horse NW Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WRHM8).
Drought Drought
D2 drought conditions persisted in the far western corner of Petroleum county for the first three weeks of March.
Drought Drought
D2 drought conditions increased from the west into the far western edge of Petroleum County.
High Wind High Wind
The Mosby NW (Jitney Road) Montana Climate Office mesonet site (MOBM8) measured a 59 mph wind gust.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall was nearly continuous from Thursday (December 11th) until 6 AM Saturday (December 13th). Snowfall measurements Saturday morning ranged from 10 to 12 inches in central Petroleum county.
High Wind High Wind
At the War Horse Montana Climate Office mesonet site (WRHM8), multiple severe wind gusts were recorded, the strongest of which was 67 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The War Horse NW HydroMet site (WRHM8) from the Montana Climate Office Mesonet recorded a 59 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The War Horse NW HydroMet site (WRHM8) from the Montana Climate Office Mesonet recorded a 61 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Winnett MT-200 DOT site (MTWIN) recorded a 59 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Mosby NW HydroMet site (MOBM8) from the Montana Climate Office Mesonet recorded a 60 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Dovetail / Valentine E HydroMet site (VLTM8) from the Montana Climate Office Mesonet recorded a 64 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter reported trees swaying significantly and estimated wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph along with pea sized hail.
Hail Hail
Public reported hen egg size hail.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter reported golf ball size hail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter measured a 60 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 63 mph was measured by the Winnett MT-200 DOT site.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter reported a 60 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 66 mph was measured at the Mosby South HydroMet site (Montana Climate Office network).
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The War Horse NW site (Montana Climate Office) recorded a wind gust of 62 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The wind gust occurred at the Winnett Southwest MCO mesonet.
Hail Hail
Hail up to the size of golf balls fell with winds of 30-40 mph.
Hail Hail
Golfball size hail was reported by Public.
Hail Hail
Ping pong ball size hail broke windows and damaged vehicles.
Hail Hail
A storm chaser measured multiple hailstones of 2.5 inches in diameter (tennis ball size) with a ruler. Report relayed through social media.
Hail Hail
Large hail about 3.5 inches in diameter, lasted for about 15 mins.
Hail Hail
Quarter-sized hail, heavy rain and 70 mph wind gusts caused considerable tree damage in Winnett.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Quarter-sized hail, heavy rain and 70 mph wind gusts caused considerable tree damage in Winnett.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Occurred at the Mosby NW site.
High Wind High Wind
Winds gusted to 59 mph at the mesonet station 10 NNW Cat Creek.
High Wind High Wind
This occurred at the War Horse NWR (8N Teigen).
High Wind High Wind
This occurred at the Winnett SW Hydromet.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Storm total snow across the area was three to five inches.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Three inches of snow were measured at the War Horse Mesonet site, along with 2.9 inches measured at the Winnett SW mesonet site.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Trained spotters and cooperative observers reported 6 to 8 inches of snow across most of the area, with very little wind.
High Wind High Wind
The public and mesonets reported gusts to 70 mph.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 | 0 |
| 2025 | 30 | 0 |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 |
| 2022 | 20 | 0 |
| 2021 | 15 | 0 |
| 2020 | 8 | 2 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2018 | 13 | 0 |
| 2017 | 14 | 0 |
| 2016 | 13 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | 9 | 0 |
| 2012 | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 | 23 | 0 |
| 2010 | 10 | 0 |
| 2009 | 4 | 0 |
| 2008 | 18 | 0 |
| 2007 | 13 | 0 |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 |
| 2005 | 18 | 1 |
| 2004 | 8 | 0 |
| 2003 | 13 | 0 |
| 2002 | 24 | 2 |
| 2001 | 4 | 0 |
| 2000 | 26 | 0 |
| 1999 | 15 | 0 |
| 1998 | 8 | 0 |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 1 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 |
| 1962 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Petroleum County, measured to its path.
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