Strong winds aloft along with a series of deep surface lows moving across southern Canada combined to produce strong winds over a wide area of North Central Montana. A wind gust to 133 mph was reported at the Logan Pass Visitor Center in Glacier Park.
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.
The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.
Strong winds aloft along with a series of deep surface lows moving across southern Canada combined to produce strong winds over a wide area of North Central Montana. A wind gust to 133 mph was reported at the Logan Pass Visitor Center in Glacier Park. Numerous reports of 60 to 80 mph gusts were reported elsewhere along the Rocky Mountain front and adjacent plains. Many power poles were blown down resulting in areas of power outages. Many trees were reported down in the Little Belt mountains resulting in the blocking of snowmobile trails. Also, the eastbound Amtrak was delayed by four to five hours.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 15, 4:05 AM MST, 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 405 AM MST FRI DEC 15 2006 .DISCUSSION... ...DAMAGING WINDS AFFECTING NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA TODAY... TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY...A VIGOROUS PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE NEXT 36 HOURS. SHORT RANGE MODELS ARE IN CLOSE AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE MAIN SURFACE LOW EMERGING ONTO THE ALBERTA PLAINS DURING TODAY. STRONG SOUTH AND SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL BE EVIDENT PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT BETWEEN NOW AND THIS EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL MONTANA. COOLING ALOFT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE FRONTAL FEATURE WILL ALLOW SNOW TO BEGIN FALLING OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES...WITH INTENSE WIND AND SNOWFALL WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT THIS MORNING. WIND WILL BECOME WESTERLY ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA PLAINS TODAY FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONT...WITH WINDS QUICKLY INTENSIFYING BY THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 80 MPH ARE LIKELY ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. TEMPERATURES WILL BE STEADY DURING THE MORNING...AND STEADILY DECREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. POST FRONTAL SNOW SHOWERS WILL REMAIN OVER MOUNTAIN RIDGES AND PEAKS THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH HIGHEST STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. WINDS WILL BECOME LESS INTENSE BY TONIGHT AS A SHORTWAVE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE AREA...WITH RIDGETOP WINDS FROM THE NORTHWEST...BECOMING MODERATE AND WESTERLY ON THE NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO KEEP COOLER TEMPERATURES AND MODERATE WINDS OVER THE AREA FROM TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. ZUMPFE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...00Z GFS AND ECMWF RUNS ARE IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT SO CONFIDENCE IS A LITTLE BETTER THAN AVERAGE WITH THE FORECAST. A SHORTWAVE IS FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY NIGHT. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE OF LATE MODELS DO NOT HAVE MUCH MOISTURE WITH THE SHORTWAVE SO WILL GO WITH A MOSTLY DRY FORECAST. AN UPPER RIDGE IS FORECAST TO MOVE SE OVER THE FORECAST AREA MONDAY NIGHT WITH A MORE WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT THEREAFTER. ON WEDNESDAY AN UPPER RIDGE IS FORECAST TO REBUILD OVER THE PACIFIC NW. BY THIS TIME FRAME MODELS DO DIFFER ON THE STRENGTH AND POSITION OF THIS UPPER RIDGE. ALL IN ALL LOOKS LIKE A DRY PERIOD FROM MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF SOME MOISTURE AFFECTING THE MOUNTAINS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT SO DID LEAVE IN SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE POPS THERE. AS FOR TEMPERATURES THERE SHOULD BE SOME DOWNSLOPE ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS SO HAVE RAISED TEMPERATURES OVER THE PLAINS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THINK THAT VALLEY INVERSIONS WILL SET UP IN THE SW SO LEFT ALONE THOSE RELATIVELY COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR THE MOST PART. BLANK THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MODELS IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT DURING THIS PERIOD. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY IS FLATTENED AND MOVES EAST AS A PACIFIC SHORT WAVE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COOL FRONT MOVE ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY. PARTLY CLOUDY AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE REGION THURSDAY...EXCEPT FOR SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS AND MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...DUE TO A SOMEWHAT MOIST NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. THE SYSTEM ON FRIDAY SHOULD RESULT IN PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS...EXCEPT FOR OUR NORTHERN PLAINS THAT SHOULD REMAIN DRY. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL A FEW DEGREES FRIDAY BUT STILL REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES AS DOWNSLOPE WINDS PERSIST ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. KURDY && .AVIATION... UPDATED 0535Z. AS A STRONG STORM APPROACHES THE REGION...WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN MONTANA WITH OBSCURATIONS AND IFR CONDITIONS. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WITH MIXED AND FREEZING PRECIPITATION WILL AFFECT THE PLAINS AT TIMES THROUGH 12Z. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT LOWER ELEVATIONS WITH AREAS MVFR IN SHOWERS. WINDS WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE ALONG EAST SLOPES OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...BECOMING VERY STRONG BETWEEN 12Z AND 18Z...AND SPREADING EAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE CONSIDERABLY LOWER OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA...BUT WITH MOUNTAIN SNOW CONTINUING EXPECT AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW. MPJ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 50 21 30 11 / 30 10 0 10 CTB 43 18 26 7 / 30 20 0 10 HLN 49 22 28 10 / 50 10 10 0 BZN 44 16 25 6 / 60 10 10 10 WEY 34 7 20 -3 / 80 30 20 30 DLN 47 14 22 3 / 70 10 10 0 HVR 44 21 30 9 / 20 20 10 0 LWT 48 20 30 10 / 30 10 0 0 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR MTZ011>014- 045-047-050-051-054. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR MTZ008-015-052-053-055. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR MTZ009-014- 048. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR MTZ009-010- 044-046-048-049. && SHORT TERM...ZUMPFE LONG TERM...BLANK/KURDY AVIATION...MPJ/BLANK WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 128 PM MST THU DEC 14 2006 MTZ009-010-014-044-046-048-049-151230- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-TOOLE-EASTERN PONDERA- SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON- 128 PM MST THU DEC 14 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE LIKELY LATE TONIGHT AS A STRONG MOIST WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT COMBINES WITH A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA. IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG WINDS...THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY. HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND WINTER STORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS STORM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY DAMAGING WINDS AND MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY AND START TO DECREASE FRIDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ011>013-045-047-050-051-151230- HILL-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-LIBERTY-BLAINE-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS- 128 PM MST THU DEC 14 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY DAMAGING WINDS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA FRIDAY MORNING AS A STRONG WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT COMBINES WITH A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA. A HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA FOR THIS STORM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ008-015-052>055-151230- BEAVERHEAD-MADISON-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 128 PM MST THU DEC 14 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY GUSTY WINDS AND MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHWEST MONTANA FRIDAY MORNING AS A STRONG WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT COMBINES WITH A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA. A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS STORM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
14 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust to 68 mph was reported at the Macdonald Pass DOT site.
A gust to 65 mph was reported at the Great Falls ASOS site. The strong winds were responsible for downing seven power poles in the Great Falls area resulting in scattered power outages. Power poles were also downed at Sand Coulee, Belt, Dutton and Chester.
A gust to 65 mph was reported at the Raynolds Pass DOT site.
A gust to 67 mph was reported at the Sweet Grass DOT site.
A gust to 59 mph was reported at East Glacier Park 2E. A wind gust to 133 mph was reported at the Logan Pass Visitor Center in Glacier Park. Also, a wind gust to 164 mph was reported at Snowslip Mountain which is located just east of the Continental Divide along U.S. Highway 2.
A gust to 59 mph was reported at the Cut Bank ASOS site. The high winds were responsible for delaying the east-bound Amtrak train by four to five hours.
Sustained winds of 48 mph were reported at the Loma DOT site.
A gust to 79 mph was reported at Choteau.
A gust to 79 mph was reported at Choteau.
Sustained winds of 46 mph were reported at the Inverness DOT site.
A gust to 58 mph was reported at Joplin.
A gust to 56 mph was measured near Roy. Also, sustained winds of 43 mph were reported at the DOT sensor near Denton.
A gust to 72 mph was reported at Valier 1S.
A gust to 59 mph was reported at the Fort Belknap DOT site.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2006
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: 6605, 6603, 6627, 6606, 6600, 6601, 6604, 6620, 6622, 6602, 6610, 9414, 6613, 6616.