Local thunderstorms bring large hail, heavy showers

A persistent weather pattern is bringing severe thunderstorms to the area including up to tennis ball-sized hail and some short bursts of heavy rainfall.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Paul Nutter in Great Falls said reports came in of nickel-sized hail 9 miles west-southwest of Havre, 2-inch hail 5 miles west of town and tennis ball-sized hail 8 miles west.

He said other thunderstorms also caused hail in the area, but those were the largest-sized hail reported so far by 9:30 this morning.

The storms also caused reports of heavt in the region, Nutter said, with some storms producing rainfall at a 1-inch-per-hour rate, with reports of a quarter-inch of rain falling in 15 minutes.

Nutter said no reports of serious flooding from the storms have been received by Weather Service as of 9:30 this morning.

Nutter said severe storms are again expected through this evening with more storms, although likely not as severe, expected through Saturday.

Watch for more on the weather in Friday’s edition of Havre Daily News