High Wind Warning 23, NWS Great Falls, MT

607 
WWUS75 KTFX 222337
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
537 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

MTZ324-325-328-230045-
/O.EXP.KTFX.HW.W.0022.000000T0000Z-260423T0000Z/
Missouri Headwaters-Madison River Valley-Beaverhead and Western
Madison below 6000ft-
Including the following locations: Dillon, Three Forks, Cameron,
Norris, Waterloo, Glen, Ennis, Pony, Willow Creek, Harrison,
Jeffers, McAllister, Whitehall, and Bannack
537 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

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

The threat has ended.

$$

MTZ304>306-310-311-314-231445-
/O.EXT.KTFX.HW.W.0023.260422T2337Z-260424T0000Z/
Eastern Toole and Liberty-Hill County-Northern Blaine County-
Western and Central Chouteau County-Bears Paw Mountains and
Southern Blaine-Fergus County below 4500ft-
Including the following locations: Whitlash, Chinook, Rocky Boy,
Chester, Joplin, Hilger, Havre, Lothair, Fort Belknap, Fort
Benton, Zurich, Carter, Lewistown, Devon, Galata, Floweree,
Hogeland, Harlem, and Shelby
537 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THURSDAY...

* WHAT...Northwesterly winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Eastern Toole and Liberty Counties, Hill County, Northern 
  Blaine County, Western and Central Chouteau County, Bears Paw 
  Mountains and Southern Blaine, and Fergus County below 4500ft.

* WHEN...Until 6 PM MDT Thursday.

* 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 strongest winds will be the over the 
  southeast aspects of the Sweetgrass Hills, Bear's Paw, and Snowy 
  Mountains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Remember, a High Wind Warning means that there is at least an 80% 
chance of 40 mph sustained winds or 58 mph wind gusts occurring 
during the warning period.

&&

$$

IG

789 
WWUS75 KTFX 230457
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
1057 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

MTZ304>306-310-311-314-240000-
/O.CON.KTFX.HW.W.0023.000000T0000Z-260424T0000Z/
Eastern Toole and Liberty-Hill County-Northern Blaine County-
Western and Central Chouteau County-Bears Paw Mountains and
Southern Blaine-Fergus County below 4500ft-
Including the following locations: Hogeland, Joplin, Floweree,
Devon, Harlem, Zurich, Chester, Lothair, Fort Belknap, Whitlash,
Lewistown, Galata, Havre, Rocky Boy, Carter, Hilger, Fort Benton,
Shelby, and Chinook
1057 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THURSDAY...

* WHAT...Northwesterly winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Eastern Toole and Liberty Counties, Hill County, Northern 
  Blaine County, Western and Central Chouteau County, Bears Paw 
  Mountains and Southern Blaine, and Fergus County below 4500ft.

* WHEN...Until 6 PM MDT Thursday.

* 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 strongest winds will be the over the 
  southeast aspects of the Sweetgrass Hills, Bear's Paw, and Snowy 
  Mountains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Remember, a High Wind Warning means that there is at least an 80% 
chance of 40 mph sustained winds or 58 mph wind gusts occurring 
during the warning period.

&&

$$

AM

603 
WWUS75 KTFX 232052
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
252 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026

MTZ304-305-310-232200-
/O.CAN.KTFX.HW.W.0023.000000T0000Z-260424T0000Z/
Eastern Toole and Liberty-Hill County-Western and Central
Chouteau County-
Including the following locations: Floweree, Havre, Fort Benton,
Carter, Joplin, Shelby, Galata, Lothair, Whitlash, Devon, and
Chester
252 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026

...HIGH WIND WARNING IS CANCELLED...

The threat for widespread strong winds has diminished.  

$$

MTZ306-311-314-240000-
/O.CON.KTFX.HW.W.0023.000000T0000Z-260424T0000Z/
Northern Blaine County-Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine-
Fergus County below 4500ft-
Including the following locations: Fort Belknap, Rocky Boy,
Hilger, Chinook, Lewistown, Hogeland, Harlem, and Zurich
252 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026

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

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

* WHERE...Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine, Fergus County 
  below 4500ft, and Northern Blaine County.

* 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

754 
WWUS75 KTFX 240005
NPWTFX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
605 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026

MTZ306-311-314-240115-
/O.EXP.KTFX.HW.W.0023.000000T0000Z-260424T0000Z/
Northern Blaine County-Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine-
Fergus County below 4500ft-
Including the following locations: Fort Belknap, Hilger, Chinook,
Zurich, Hogeland, Rocky Boy, Lewistown, and Harlem
605 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026

...HIGH WIND WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

The threat has ended.

$$

IG

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
1229 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

Aviation Section Updated.

.KEY MESSAGES...

 - One last mild day, with afternoon showers and thunderstorms.

 - Cold front arrives this evening and tonight, bringing a sharp transition
   to colder/wetter conditions through Thursday, including
   impactful snowfall in the mountains and at some lower elevation
   locations.

 - Additional snow lingers near the Continental Divide and across
   Southwest Montana into Friday before slowly subsiding.

 - Remaining unsettled through the weekend into early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
/Issued 512 AM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026/

 - Meteorological Overview:

The first of several embedded waves within broad troughing across
the west moves overhead today across the region. Initial impact is
for gusty south to southwest winds in many areas developing this
morning. Precipitation largely near the Continental Divide this
morning slowly spread eastward in the form of showers and
thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. A few of the most robust
thunderstorms will pose a gusty wind threat, but the confidence in
timing and location of any of these thunderstorms is low at this
time.

A cold front then begins to move in late day and into the evening,
bringing sharply colder temperatures to the entire region, along with
gusty northwest winds over the plains. A more widespread
precipitation develops along and behind the front, impacting
mountain areas and much of the plains. Snow levels fall quickly
behind this front, though rain looks to persist behind the front
for a couple hours at lower elevations before the sufficiently
cold air arrives to transition precipitation type to snow.
Impactful snow is forecast to develop in many mountain areas
this evening and persist into Thursday. Areas at lower elevations
of greatest concern for impacts will be in the Armington Junction
area and adjacent areas near the Little Belts, as well as near
Lewistown as the northwest winds combine with snow. There is some
uncertainty with just how impactful this snow and wind will be for
these areas, which is largely dependent on how quickly snow
levels fall in these areas. More about this concern will be
discussed in the uncertainty section.

Lingering gusty northwest winds near and east of US-87 during the
day Thursday will slowly subside toward Thursday evening and night.
All the while, another wave within the broad upper troughing will
keep snow in the forecast along the Continental Divide and across
Southwest Montana Thursday night into Friday as precipitation
further east wanes Thursday evening. Additional impacts from the
snow are most favored in the terrain in these areas, but will reach
the valley floors at times into Friday.

Although the bulk of the upper troughing moves east/northeast this
weekend into early next week, an unsettled northerly or
northwesterly flow aloft develops. Temperatures largely look to
remain on the cooler side, with at least low-end opportunities for
precipitation most days through the weekend. -AM

 - Forecast Confidence & Scenarios:

Thunderstorms today:

While latest high-resolution ensembles do not favor any one area
over another by too much in terms of instability this afternoon, any
stronger thunderstorms that do develop will be capable of
producing gusty and erratic winds. If there was one area that was
slightly favored over the rest for development of greatest
instability it looks to be across the Hi-Line in the Shelby area
where there is approximately a 70% probability for 250+ J/Kg CAPE
today.

Potential for Blizzard Conditions in/near the Little Belts Late
Tonight and early Thursday:

The main source of uncertainty stems from how long of an overlap
there will be between the strongest winds and heaviest snowfall in
these areas tonight. High resolution guidance favors the strongest
winds in between Armington Junction and Geyser this evening before
slowly subsiding through the overnight. Meanwhile this same set of
guidance keeps precipitation type as rain in this area through
midnight or so. A scenario that features temperatures that are
quicker to cool or that has the stronger winds lingering longer
would result in at least a few hours of blizzard conditions in this
area tonight.

South of Armington Junction on US-89 on the way to Kings Hill Pass
precipitation looks to flip over to snow quicker than on 87. That
said, the winds do not appear quite as strong. All that to say there
is still quite a bit of uncertainty in the higher-end impact
scenario at this time. Regardless of whether blizzard conditions
materialize in these areas, impactful snow is still forecast, which
will warrant some sort of winter highlight (Whether it be a Winter
Weather Advisory, Winter Storm Warning, or Blizzard Warning is to be
determined).

There also appears to be a conditional risk for localized
blizzard conditions near Lewistown late tonight and Thursday
morning, but uncertainty in overall snow amounts are keeping
concerns lower for now.

Potential for strong northwest winds tonight and Thursday:

Latest high resolution guidance favors areas across the plains
downwind of terrain as the most likely to see gust of 60 mph
materialize tonight into early Thursday. Areas with a greater than
50% probability to observe a 60 mph gust are in eastern Fergus
county and across a southern and eastern Blaine county. -AM

&&

.AVIATION...
22/18Z TAF Period

Gusty winds will continue across southwest Montana through the
rest of the afternoon, diminishing this evening as the front moves
south. There is a 15% chance for scattered thunderstorms this
afternoon across the region with the main concerns being lightning
and gusty, erratic winds. The threat is generally expected to
persist through 23/03Z before tapering off as daytime heating
starts tapering off.

The cold front is expected to move through this evening into the
overnight hours shifting the winds towards the west/northwest.
Behind the front, more stratiform precipitation will start off as
a rain/snow mix before quickly transitioning to snow and the
colder air filters in. Mountain obscuration will remain a concern
through most of the period.  -thor

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  71  29  41  26 /  70 100  70  40
CTB  65  26  40  22 /  70  90  30  20
HLN  67  29  39  24 /  80 100  90  60
BZN  62  31  42  21 /  80 100  90  70
WYS  45  24  37  17 /  90 100  90  80
DLN  55  32  43  25 /  80  90  80  70
HVR  78  30  44  25 /  30  80  30  10
LWT  71  28  37  21 /  40 100  60  20

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM MDT
Thursday for Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains-East Glacier
Park Region-Northern High Plains.

High Wind Watch from midnight MDT tonight through Thursday
afternoon for Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine-Eastern
Toole and Liberty-Fergus County below 4500ft-Hill County-
Northern Blaine County-Western and Central Chouteau County.

Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to 6 PM MDT
Thursday for Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine-Fergus
County below 4500ft-Snowy and Judith Mountains.

Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to noon MDT
Friday for Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains-Gates of the Mountains-
Northwest Beaverhead County-Ruby Mountains and Southern
Beaverhead Mountains-Southern Rocky Mountain Front-Upper
Blackfoot and MacDonald Pass.

Winter Storm Watch from 6 PM MDT this evening through Thursday
afternoon for Little Belt and Highwood Mountains.

High Wind Warning until 6 PM MDT this evening for Beaverhead and
Western Madison below 6000ft-Madison River Valley-Missouri
Headwaters.

Winter Storm Warning from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM MDT Thursday
for Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial
Mountains.

Winter Storm Watch from midnight MDT tonight through Thursday
afternoon for Judith Basin County and Judith Gap.

Winter Storm Watch from Thursday evening through Friday morning
for Gallatin Valley.

&&

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
125 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

MTZ322-324-327>330-222015-
Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains MT-
Ruby Mountains and Southern Beaverhead Mountains MT-
Missouri Headwaters MT-
Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains MT-
Northwest Beaverhead County MT-
Beaverhead and Western Madison below 6000ft MT-
125 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH POTENTIAL FOR COLD AIR FUNNEL CLOUDS WILL IMPACT
NORTHWESTERN MADISON...BEAVERHEAD AND SOUTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON
COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM MDT...

At 121 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a several showers and
thunderstorms developing across northwest Beaverhead county. In
addition to lightning and small hail, these storms are developing
near an upper level low pressure system with a favorable
environment to create cold air funnel clouds.

Locations impacted include...
Dillon, Sheridan, Virginia City, Whitehall, Twin Bridges, Alder,
Jackson, Pony, Wisdom, Silver Star, Grant, Melrose, Wise River,
Dewey, Bannack, Laurin, Waterloo, Glen, Beaverhead Rock State Park,
and Polaris.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Conditions are favorable for the development of weak, brief funnel
clouds. This type of funnel cloud is harmless, but on rare occasions
they can briefly touch down, producing wind gusts over 50 mph. If a
funnel cloud is spotted move indoors and report your sighting to the
National Weather Service.

These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional
information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

&&

LAT...LON 4588 11347 4575 11336 4587 11322 4588 11310
      4576 11277 4563 11270 4576 11250 4575 11219
      4585 11243 4590 11240 4585 11189 4526 11186
      4492 11227 4475 11312 4482 11324 4479 11336
      4492 11349 4506 11345 4533 11374 4563 11386
TIME...MOT...LOC 1921Z 202DEG 8KT 4569 11309

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH

BH