Why is Missoula Experiencing So Many Thunderstorms Recently?

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - I spoke to National Weather Service Meteorologist Jen Kitzmiller on Monday morning to ask about the severity of thunderstorms that have swept through the Missoula area since what she termed the ‘derecho’ (a widespread long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms) hit Missoula on July 24.

Another Strong Thunderstorm Could be Possible Monday Evening

Kitzmiller said another band of thunderstorms is headed towards Missoula later on Monday afternoon and evening.

“Not to be the bearer of bad news, but we are looking at another round of thunderstorms later this afternoon and evening, so folks should definitely keep an eye on the sky here,” began Kitzmiller. “Later today, we'll be looking for similar threats of wind and maybe some hail.”

Kitzmiller Said the Conditions Have Been Ripe for Perfect Storms

Regarding the severity of the weather in western Montana recently, Kitzmiller said quite literally, the conditions have been ripe for ‘perfect storms’.

“For this week in particular, we're under a southerly flow aloft, and so that kind of sets it up where, when the storms form down the Bitterroot Valley, the valley itself actually acts almost like a funnel, and just kind of funnels those storms right into Missoula,” she said. “We've just had the perfect setup here with the southerly flow, pieces of monsoon moisture breaking off from the desert southwest that have kind of brought the storms here to us more frequently here this past week.”

Referencing the massive storm in late July, Kitzmiller said it was definitely ‘an anomaly’.

READ MORE: Governor Requests Federal Disaster Relief After Missoula Storm

The Derecho Event on July 24 was Definitely an Anomaly

“The derecho event that occurred back in towards the end of July was an extreme anomaly, and something that really doesn't occur in the western part of the U.S. very often at all,” she said. “That was its own kind of beast, if you will, slightly different from the storms that we've had this week, but still, I know here yesterday (Sunday) in Missoula, we had guests up to 70 miles an hour, so it was certainly impressive.”

She mentioned that the July storm left many damaged trees in its wake, and even more interruptions in power could be possible.

“Certainly, I know from the big event in July, a lot of trees out there are weakened, so it may not take as strong of winds to cause tree branches to come down and damage to power lines and things like that,” she said. “Even with gusts up to 50 miles per hour we're probably going to see some issues with storms, whereas with healthy trees, that may not be as much of a concern.”

Many Missoula homes lost power for a short period of time from Sunday’s thunderstorm.