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.

Thunderstorm Wind in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:20:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:40:00 (MST)
Location: LINDSAY
Magnitude: 90 E
Property damage: 75K
Crop damage: 250K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

The damaging downburst winds that occurred in McCone County continued into Dawson County.  Several farms along Highway 200 had significant damage to outbuildings, and well as to equipment.  Crops were 100 percent destroyed in a 1 to 5 mile wide swath from 12 miles northwest of Lindsay to the town of Lindsay.  A home in Linsday also had the roof blown off.

Tornado in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:53:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:55:00 (MST)
Location: GLENDIVE
Tornado F-scale: F0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado reported by Dawson County Sheriffs Department. The tornado occurred in open prairie and did not cause any damage.

Hail in VALLEY, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:20:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:20:00 (MST)
Location: OPHEIM
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Tornado in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 19:23:00 to 20-JUL-01 19:23:00 (MST)
Location: GLENDIVE
Tornado F-scale: F0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Brief tornado touchdown reported by spotter north of Glendive.

Hail in DANIELS, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-01 12:00:00 (MST)
Location: PEERLESS
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 17:35:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:10:00 (MST)
Location: CIRCLE
Magnitude: 98 M
Property damage: 1.6M
Crop damage: 500K
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY

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.

Hail in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:15:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:15:00 (MST)
Location: BLOOMFIELD
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 17:40:00 to 20-JUL-01 17:40:00 (MST)
Location: CIRCLE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in VALLEY, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:10:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:30:00 (MST)
Location: GLASGOW
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 45K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Large hail broke out windows from homes and dented vehicles at The Pines Recreation area.

Tornado in GARFIELD, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:20:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:35:00 (MST)
Location: HAXBY HOOLIE ARPT
Tornado F-scale: F0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Tornado reported near Haxby Point.

Hail in PRAIRIE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 19:21:00 to 20-JUL-01 19:21:00 (MST)
Location: TERRY
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in PRAIRIE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 19:15:00 to 20-JUL-01 19:15:00 (MST)
Location: TERRY
Magnitude: 1.25 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in ROOSEVELT, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:27:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:27:00 (MST)
Location: POPLAR
Magnitude: 53 M
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Funnel Cloud in VALLEY, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:15:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:15:00 (MST)
Location: OPHEIM
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 17:00:00 to 20-JUL-01 17:00:00 (MST)
Location: VIDA
Magnitude: 4.50 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Funnel Cloud in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:15:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:15:00 (MST)
Location: RICHEY
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in GARFIELD, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:35:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:35:00 (MST)
Location: JORDAN
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 30K
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY

Large hail broke out windows of homes at Rock Creek Recreation area.  Several vehicles also had hail damage.

Hail in PHILLIPS, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 11:04:00 to 20-JUL-01 11:04:00 (MST)
Location: SACO
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in GARFIELD, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 17:00:00 to 20-JUL-01 17:30:00 (MST)
Location: JORDAN
Magnitude: 2.00 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in VALLEY, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:00:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:00:00 (MST)
Location: OPHEIM
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in PHILLIPS, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 08:40:00 to 20-JUL-01 08:40:00 (MST)
Location: BOWDOIN
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in VALLEY, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 15:51:00 to 20-JUL-01 15:51:00 (MST)
Location: GLASGOW
Magnitude: 84 M
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Hail in SHERIDAN, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 12:16:00 to 20-JUL-01 12:16:00 (MST)
Location: RESERVE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Tornado in DANIELS, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:31:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:31:00 (MST)
Location: SCOBEY
Tornado F-scale: F0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Brief tornado occurred south of Scobey.

Tornado in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:35:00 to 20-JUL-01 17:00:00 (MST)
Location: VIDA
Tornado F-scale: F0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

The tornado moved into the county from extreme northeastern Garfield County.  A storm chaser followed the storm and reported that it had multiple vortices.  The last seen location of the tornado before it dissipated was 22 miles northwest of Circle.  The tornado moved through unpopulated rangeland areas and no damage was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind in WIBAUX, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 20:00:00 to 20-JUL-01 20:00:00 (MST)
Location: WIBAUX
Magnitude: 52 M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Funnel Cloud in DANIELS, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:43:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:43:00 (MST)
Location: SCOBEY
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in SHERIDAN, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:20:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:20:00 (MST)
Location: ANTELOPE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:15:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:15:00 (MST)
Location: BLOOMFIELD
Magnitude: 52 M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in RICHLAND, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:25:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:25:00 (MST)
Location: LAMBERT
Magnitude: 52 M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in PRAIRIE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 19:30:00 to 20-JUL-01 19:40:00 (MST)
Location: TERRY
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 21:15:00 to 20-JUL-01 21:15:00 (MST)
Location: HOYT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:16:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:16:00 (MST)
Location: CIRCLE
Magnitude: 50 M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in SHERIDAN, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 18:20:00 to 20-JUL-01 18:20:00 (MST)
Location: ANTELOPE
Magnitude: 52 M
Crop damage: 5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 17:30:00 to 20-JUL-01 17:30:00 (MST)
Location: VIDA
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in ROOSEVELT, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 19:10:00 to 20-JUL-01 19:15:00 (MST)
Location: CULBERTSON
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High winds downed small trees, and broke large branches off of trees in the Culbertson area.

Tornado in PHILLIPS, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 14:20:00 to 20-JUL-01 14:55:00 (MST)
Location: SUN PRAIRIE
Tornado F-scale: F0
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)

A tornado developed 11 miles east of Sun Prairie and moved into Valley County.  The tornado moved through open prairie and caused no damage.

Hail in SHERIDAN, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 13:10:00 to 20-JUL-01 13:10:00 (MST)
Location: PLENTYWOOD
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in PHILLIPS, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 08:46:00 to 20-JUL-01 08:46:00 (MST)
Location: MALTA
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Tornado in VALLEY, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 14:55:00 to 20-JUL-01 15:20:00 (MST)
Location: TAMPICO
Tornado F-scale: F0
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)

A tornado moved into Southwest Valley County and moved east before dissipating.  It moved through open prairie and caused no damage.  The storm and wall cloud were seen from the National Weather Service office over 35 miles away.

Hail in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 20-JUL-01 16:35:00 to 20-JUL-01 16:35:00 (MST)
Location: VIDA
Magnitude: 4.50 
Property damage: 30K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

A Montana Department of Transportation truck got caught in large hail along Highway 24, near Rock Creek.  The truck had several large hail dents in it, and the windshield was shattered.