Montana, 1999

High Wind in Montana, December 17 to 18, 1999

December 17 to 18, 1999 · NWS BYZ · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Strong southwest winds picked up across South Central Montana ahead of a Pacific cold front during the evening of the 17th and the morning of the 18th. Sustained winds of 51 mph were reported at the airport in Livingston, and gusts as high as 77 mph were reported in Fort Smith and 61 mph in South Bridger.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Winter weather
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  • Cold
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  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BYZ wrote it up.

Strong southwest winds picked up across South Central Montana ahead of a Pacific cold front during the evening of the 17th and the morning of the 18th. Sustained winds of 51 mph were reported at the airport in Livingston, and gusts as high as 77 mph were reported in Fort Smith and 61 mph in South Bridger. In Livingston, at least one building had its roof blown off.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass

When
December 17, 7:00 PM MST to December 18, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

High Wind, Stillwater/Carbon

When
December 17, 7:00 PM MST to December 18, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Stillwater/Carbon forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Big Horn

When
December 17, 7:00 PM MST to December 18, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Big Horn forecast zone
Measured
67 kt (77 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 1999

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5722575, 5722576, 5722577.