Montana, 2000

High Wind in Montana, April 5, 2000

April 5, 2000 · NWS BYZ · 10 events in 9 counties and zones

An unusually strong canadian cold front moved across Montana on the late evening of April 4th and the morning of April 5th. Sustained wind spees of 40 MPH were reported at 12:00 am in Reed Point in Stillwater County, at 2:20 am in Judith Gap in Wheatland County, at 4:02 am 20 miles northeast of Forsyth in Rosebud County, and at 7:07 am in Ekalaka in Carter County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

An unusually strong canadian cold front moved across Montana on the late evening of April 4th and the morning of April 5th. Sustained wind spees of 40 MPH were reported at 12:00 am in Reed Point in Stillwater County, at 2:20 am in Judith Gap in Wheatland County, at 4:02 am 20 miles northeast of Forsyth in Rosebud County, and at 7:07 am in Ekalaka in Carter County. Other reported sustained wind speeds were 43 MPH 20 miles south of Roundup in Musselshell County at 2:22 am and 47 MPH in Baker in Fallon County at 6:17 am. Peak wind gusts for the event were 64 MPH in Billings in Yellowstone County at 4:24 am, 66 MPH in Rock Springs in Rosebud County at 5:00 am, 69 MPH at Miles City in Custer County at 5:50 am, 60 MPH at 6:05 am at Hardin in Big Horn County, and 58 MPH at Baker in Fallon County at 6:17 am.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Stillwater/Carbon

When
April 5, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Stillwater/Carbon forecast zone
Measured
41 kt (47 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An unusually strong canadian cold front moved across Montana on the late evening of April 4th and the morning of April 5th. Sustained wind spees of 40 MPH were reported at 12:00 am in Reed Point in Stillwater County, at 2:20 am in Judith Gap in Wheatland County, at 4:02 am 20 miles northeast of Forsyth in Rosebud County, and at 7:07 am in Ekalaka in Carter County. Other reported sustained wind speeds were 43 MPH 20 miles south of Roundup in Musselshell County at 2:22 am and 47 MPH in Baker in Fallon County at 6:17 am. Peak wind gusts for the event were 64 MPH in Billings in Yellowstone County at 4:24 am, 66 MPH in Rock Springs in Rosebud County at 5:00 am, 69 MPH at Miles City in Custer County at 5:50 am, 60 MPH at 6:05 am at Hardin in Big Horn County, and 58 MPH at Baker in Fallon County at 6:17 am.

High Wind, Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass

When
April 5, 2:20 AM MST
Where
Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

High Wind, Golden Valley/Musselshell

When
April 5, 2:22 AM MST
Where
Golden Valley/Musselshell forecast zone
Measured
43 kt (49 mph)
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
46.497, -108.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Rosebud

When
April 5, 4:03 AM MST
Where
Rosebud forecast zone
Measured
49 kt (56 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Yellowstone

When
April 5, 4:24 AM MST
Where
Yellowstone forecast zone
Measured
64 kt (74 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Rosebud

When
April 5, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Rosebud forecast zone
Measured
66 kt (76 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Custer

When
April 5, 5:50 AM MST
Where
Custer forecast zone
Measured
69 kt (79 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
46.253, -105.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Big Horn

When
April 5, 6:05 AM MST
Where
Big Horn forecast zone
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Wind, Fallon

When
April 5, 6:17 AM MST
Where
Fallon forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Carter

When
April 5, 7:07 AM MST
Where
Carter forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
45.517, -104.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2000

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5138588, 5138589, 5138590, 5138591, 5138592, 5138593, 5138594, 5138595, 5138596, 5138597.