High Wind Warning 22, NWS Great Falls, MT

013 
WWUS75 KTFX 281910
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
110 PM MDT Tue Oct 28 2025

MTZ303-291200-
/O.CON.KTFX.HW.W.0022.251029T1500Z-251030T0000Z/
Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-
Including the following locations: Santa Rita, Cut Bank, and
Ethridge
110 PM MDT Tue Oct 28 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 6 PM MDT 
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Southwest winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera 
  Counties.

* WHEN...From 9 AM to 6 PM MDT Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property and 
  cause power outages. Travel could be difficult, especially for 
  high profile vehicles.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The most likely time period for strong winds 
  looks to be between 11am and 3pm.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown around 
or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

AM

452 
WWUS75 KTFX 290841
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
241 AM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

MTZ303-292345-
/O.CON.KTFX.HW.W.0022.251029T1500Z-251030T0000Z/
Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-
Including the following locations: Ethridge, Santa Rita, and Cut
Bank
241 AM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 
PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...West winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph expected.

* WHERE...Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera 
  Counties.

* WHEN...From 9 AM this morning to 6 PM MDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property and 
  cause power outages. Travel could be difficult, especially for 
  high profile vehicles.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The most likely time period for strong winds 
  looks to be between 11am and 3pm.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown around 
or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

Ludwig

351 
WWUS75 KTFX 291900
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
100 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

MTZ303-300000-
/O.CON.KTFX.HW.W.0022.000000T0000Z-251030T0000Z/
Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-
Including the following locations: Cut Bank, Santa Rita, and
Ethridge
100 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...West winds 35 to 50 mph with gusts up to 70 mph.

* WHERE...Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera 
  Counties.

* WHEN...Until 6 PM MDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property and 
  cause power outages. Travel could be difficult, especially for 
  high profile vehicles.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The most likely time period for strong winds 
  looks to be between now and 4pm.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown around 
or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

IG

848 
WWUS75 KTFX 292111
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
311 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

MTZ308-300300-
/O.EXB.KTFX.HW.W.0022.000000T0000Z-251030T0300Z/
Southern High Plains-
Including the following locations: Bynum, Choteau, and Pendroy
311 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...West winds 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 85 mph.

* WHERE...Southern High Plains.

* WHEN...Until 9 PM MDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds may damage property and cause power outages. 
  Travel could be dangerous, especially for high profile vehicles.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Those with high profile vehicles should delay travel. 

&&

$$

MTZ303-300000-
/O.CON.KTFX.HW.W.0022.000000T0000Z-251030T0000Z/
Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-
Including the following locations: Santa Rita, Ethridge, and Cut
Bank
311 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...West winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* WHERE...Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera 
  Counties.

* WHEN...Until 6 PM MDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property and 
  cause power outages. Travel could be difficult, especially for 
  high profile vehicles.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown around 
or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

RG

434 
WWUS75 KTFX 292347
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
547 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

MTZ308-300100-
/O.CAN.KTFX.HW.W.0022.000000T0000Z-251030T0300Z/
Southern High Plains-
Including the following locations: Bynum, Choteau, and Pendroy
547 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING IS CANCELLED...

Widespread strong winds are no longer expected and wind speeds will 
continue to decrease through the evening hours; however, continue to 
use caution if traveling this evening while wind gusts over 40 mph 
will be present.

$$

MTZ303-300100-
/O.EXP.KTFX.HW.W.0022.000000T0000Z-251030T0000Z/
Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-
Including the following locations: Santa Rita, Ethridge, and Cut
Bank
547 PM MDT Wed Oct 29 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

Widespread strong winds are no longer expected and wind speeds will 
continue to decrease through the evening hours; however, continue to 
use caution if traveling this evening while wind gusts over 40 mph 
will be present.

$$

RG

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
1129 PM MDT Mon Oct 27 2025

Aviation Section Updated.

.KEY MESSAGES...

 - Relatively benign day Tuesday as upper level ridging builds in.

 - Breezy Wednesday before a much more calm day Thursday.

 - Another at least breezy period this weekend, with at least a low
probability for mountain precipitation.

&&

.UPDATE...
/Issued 839 PM MDT Mon Oct 27 2025/

No major changes were made to the going forecast.

Regarding the wind potential along the Rocky Mountain Front, the
probabilities of reaching high wind criteria along the Rocky
Mountain Front remain pretty similar to earlier in the day so the
decision has been made to hold off on issuing any headlines for
now.  -thor

&&

.DISCUSSION...
/Issued 839 PM MDT Mon Oct 27 2025/

 - Meteorological Overview:

Upper level troughing is largely exiting eastward early this
afternoon. Cool air aloft in wake of this system has combined with
daytime heating to result in at least isolated shower activity.
Expectation is for these showers/snow showers to continue through
the afternoon before daytime heating wanes. Breezy winds, mainly
over the plains, will also subside as daytime heating diminishes.

Upper level ridging begins to build in tonight, leading to a benign
period into Tuesday. As quickly as the ridging builds in it is
broken down again heading into Wednesday. The next wave moving
eastward from the Pacific NW/Southern BC  moves across the Northern
Rockies during the day Wednesday. The greatest support for
precipitation largely appears to remain north in Canada, with the
primary impact to the region being a period of gusty westerly winds,
particularly over the plains.

The progressive pattern continues into Thursday as another brief
period of ridging builds in. A day of benign weather is forecast
Thursday before this ridge is gets broken down heading toward the
weekend. The ridging is largely in place through Friday morning,
though impacts from upstream troughing will become increasingly
apparent through the day as flow aloft becomes increasingly zonal.
This will result in westerly winds returning once again to the
plains later in the day Friday.

A more persistent zonal pattern becomes entrenched this weekend into
early next week, with periods of stronger winds aloft mixing down to
the surface at times this weekend. Confidence is still on the lower
side as to which period this weekend will be gustiest. Given the
downslope nature to winds, any precipitation that develops this
weekend as embedded waves within the zonal flow move through should
be limited to the Continental Divide and across Southwest Montana. -
AM

 - Forecast Confidence & Scenarios:

Wind Wednesday:

BUFKIT soundings from the GFS at Cut Bank show a narrow window just
as the surface mixes out where a 50+ kt gust would be able to mix to
the surface. Meanwhile NAM soundings are not quite as aggressive.
Although there is ~50-60% chance for a 58 mph gust west of Cut Bank,
forecast soundings leave more to be desired. Given the lack of
confidence at this point, we will forego a High Wind Watch for the
Cut Bank area for Wednesday. Should confidence increase much at all,
a High Wind Watch would become necessary.

Wind This Weekend:

Guidance has gradually tapered off of Friday being a windy day in
favor of Saturday into Sunday being the windier period. Strong zonal
flow looks to be in place over this timeframe, though there is some
uncertainty as to when exactly the strongest winds aloft move
through. Should they be favorably timed with diurnal mixing, a
stronger wind gust scenario would play out. On the other hand if the
strongest winds aloft move in overnight, widespread strong wind
gusts would be less likely.

At this point the probability for a 58 mph gust is largely at or
above 20% for most locations across the region Saturday and slightly
lower for Sunday. Once guidance can narrow down the timeframe when
these stronger winds aloft move through, I'd expect these
probabilities to increase for one day and decrease for the other. -AM

&&

.AVIATION...
28/06Z TAF Period

VFR conditions will prevail through the period. Skies will be
mostly clear after 28/12Z except for some passing high clouds.
After 29/00Z, mid to high level clouds will start to move into the
area as winds pick up out of the south with much breezier
conditions expected on Wednesday.  -thor

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  26  49  32  59 /  10   0   0   0
CTB  24  47  28  53 /   0   0   0  10
HLN  26  47  27  56 /  10   0   0   0
BZN  18  44  20  55 /  10   0   0   0
WYS   8  36  11  45 /  10   0   0   0
DLN  17  43  23  54 /   0   0   0   0
HVR  24  49  25  58 /  10   0   0   0
LWT  24  44  25  59 /  10   0   0   0

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls