High Wind Warning 21, NWS Great Falls, MT

842 
WWUS75 KTFX 151910
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
110 PM MDT Wed Apr 15 2026

MTZ325-328-160300-
/O.CON.KTFX.HW.W.0021.000000T0000Z-260416T0300Z/
Madison River Valley-Beaverhead and Western Madison below 6000ft-
Including the following locations: Glen, Waterloo, McAllister,
Ennis, Cameron, Dillon, Jeffers, Norris, and Bannack
110 PM MDT Wed Apr 15 2026

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

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

* WHERE...The Madison and Beaverhead River Valleys.

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

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

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Peak winds will generally occur during the 
  afternoon and early evening hours or beneath any shower activity.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$

Wilson

771 
WWUS75 KTFX 160253
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
853 PM MDT Wed Apr 15 2026

MTZ325-328-160400-
/O.EXP.KTFX.HW.W.0021.000000T0000Z-260416T0300Z/
Madison River Valley-Beaverhead and Western Madison below 6000ft-
Including the following locations: McAllister, Ennis, Norris,
Bannack, Dillon, Waterloo, Jeffers, Cameron, and Glen
853 PM MDT Wed Apr 15 2026

...HIGH WIND WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

Widespread strong winds are no longer expected.

$$

RG

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
1111 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Aviation Section Updated.

.KEY MESSAGES...

 - It will be windy this afternoon along the Northern Rocky
   Mountain Front.

 - It will be windy in Southwestern Montana on Wednesday.

 - Widespread precipitation returns Wednesday evening through
   Friday morning with colder temperatures on Thursday and Friday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
/Issued 554 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026/

 - Meteorological Overview:

This afternoon there will be upper-level zonal flow over North-
central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. This will keep warm
weather over the area. Due to a strong surface pressure gradient
this afternoon it will be windy along the Northern Rocky Mountain
Front and plains west of I-15. This evening due to an upper-level
shortwave there will be snow along the Northern Rocky Mountain
Front. On Wednesday there is an upper-level ridge ahead of an
approaching upper-level trough over North-central, Central, and
Southwestern Montana. This combined with the southerly winds aloft
will bring warm temperatures to the area with windy conditions in
the valleys of Southwestern Montana. Due to the warm temperatures
and southerly flow aloft instability will increase and isolated
locations could see a rumble of thunder Wednesday afternoon. See the
Forecast Confidence & Scenarios Section for details. On Wednesday
snow will continue along the Northern Rocky Mountain Front.
Wednesday afternoon/evening a Pacific Front will move across North-
central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. This will bring a heavy
band of snow along the I-90 Corridor late Wednesday afternoon
through early Wednesday evening. Wednesday afternoon and early
evening across North-central and Central Montana initially there
will be rain showers before transitioning to snow showers Wednesday
night.

On Thursday an upper-level trough is over North-central, Central,
and Southwestern Montana. This combined with the cold front will
bring well-below seasonal averages for temperatures on Thursday.
During the day on Thursday there will be snow showers across North-
central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. On Friday the upper-
level trough remains over North-central, Central, and Southwestern
Montana. On Friday due to the upper-level trough it will be cold in
the morning with temperatures warming up some in the afternoon with
mostly dry weather. On Saturday and Sunday an upper-level ridge
moves over North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. This
will bring warm and dry weather to the area for the weekend. -IG

 - Forecast Confidence & Scenarios:

Across southwestern Montana there is greater than an 80% chance for
snowfall rates in excess of 1 inch per hour Wednesday evening. Along
the I-90 corridor Wednesday afternoon/early evening there is greater
than a 50% chance for surface instability combined with a tenth of
an inch of snowfall accumulation (i.e. a snow squall). The greatest
risk from any snow squall will be a sudden reduction in visibility.
On Wednesday south of the Montana Highway 200 Corridor there is a 15
- 30% chance for thunder.

From Wednesday tonight through Friday morning there is greater than a
90% chance for 9 inches of snow or greater across the Madison and
Gallatin Mountains. As a result a Winter Storm Watch remains in
effect for those areas from Wednesday evening through Friday
morning. From tonight through Thursday morning there is greater than
a 50% chance for 6 inches of snow or greater along the Northern
Rocky Mountain Front. As a result a Winter Weather Advisory is in
effect for the Northern Rocky Mountain Front from midnight tonight
through Thursday morning. Across the valleys of Southwestern Montana
from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening there is a greater
than a 50% chance for 2 inches of snow or greater. Across the lower-
elevations of North-central and Central Montana from Wednesday
evening through Thursday evening there is greater than a 35% chance
for 1 inch of snow or greater. Wednesday evening through Thursday
evening across the Little Belts, Highwoods, and Southern Rocky
Mountain Front there is greater than a 75% chance for 4 inches of
snow or greater.

On Wednesday there is a 30 - 60% chance for wind gusts of 55 mph or
greater across the valleys of Southwestern Montana. As a result
across the Madison and the Beaverhead River Valleys a High Wind
Watch remains in effect during the day on Wednesday. Friday morning
there is greater than a 50% chance for a low temperatures of 15
degrees or colder along the Hi-Line. -IG

&&

.AVIATION...
15/06Z TAF Period

A potent spring storm and series of cold front will move
over/across the Northern Rockies over the next 24-48 hours, with
the Pacific front ushering rain/snow showers from west to east
across Southwest through North Central Montana from the late
morning through afternoon hours on Wednesday. Following the
passage of the Pacific front more steady precipitation will being
to settle in for the remainder of the evening hours, especially
across Southwest Montana, with a cold front pushing south of the
Canadian border between 03-06z Thursday. Low-VFR/VFR conditions
will fall to low-VFR across most terminals beyond 15-21z
Wednesday, with the exception of the KWYS terminal where
LIFR/IFR/MVFR conditions are expected over this timeframe.
Southerly winds will be strong and gusty at the KEKS terminal
between 15/15z and 16/03z, especially beneath shower activity. -
Moldan

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  41  59  27  37 /   0  40  90  60
CTB  34  54  20  31 /  10  20  60  50
HLN  38  58  27  39 /  10  80  90  80
BZN  36  59  27  38 /  10  60 100  80
WYS  28  45  26  33 /  10  90 100 100
DLN  36  57  26  36 /   0  50 100  80
HVR  39  61  25  35 /   0  20  80  50
LWT  37  58  26  35 /  10  60  90  60

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until 9 AM MDT Thursday for East Glacier
Park Region.

Winter Storm Watch from Wednesday evening through late Thursday
night for Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial
Mountains.

High Wind Watch from 9 AM MDT Wednesday through Wednesday
afternoon for Beaverhead and Western Madison below 6000ft-
Madison River Valley.

&&

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
736 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0121 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 8 SE East Glacier Park  48.36N 113.11W
04/14/2026  M62 MPH          Glacier            MT   Mesonet

            Mesonet station DCRM8 Deep Creek RAWS.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
739 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0723 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 15 E Whitlash           48.91N 110.91W
04/14/2026  M58 MPH          Liberty            MT   Mesonet

            Mesonet station GW0718 Joplin 25nnw.

&&