Blizzard and High Wind in Montana, January 11 to 12, 2009

Name: Blizzard and High Wind in Montana, January 11 to 12, 2009
Start: 2009-01-11T11:55
End: 2009-01-12T06:25
Location: Montana

January 11 to 12, 2009 · NWS BYZ · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A fast moving weather system in a northwest flow aloft moved across the state. Very strong winds behind a cold front affected portions of Southeast Montana.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

A fast moving weather system in a northwest flow aloft moved across the state. Very strong winds behind a cold front affected portions of Southeast Montana. In addition, the strong winds combined with recently fallen snow across Fallon County producing blizzard conditions.

What forecasters said that day

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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 11, 9:36 AM MST, 2 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 9:36 AM MST, 2 hours 19 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 11, 3:29 AM MST, 8 hours 26 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
329 AM MST SUN JAN 11 2009

MTZ028>042-056>058-063>068-WYZ098-099-121030-
SOUTHERN WHEATLAND-MUSSELSHELL-TREASURE-NORTHERN ROSEBUD-CUSTER-
FALLON-NORTHERN STILLWATER-YELLOWSTONE-POWDER RIVER-CARTER-
SOUTHERN BIG HORN-EASTERN CARBON-NORTHERN PARK-
NORTHERN SWEET GRASS-GOLDEN VALLEY-RED LODGE FOOTHILLS-
NORTHERN BIG HORN-SOUTHERN ROSEBUD-JUDITH GAP-PARADISE VALLEY-
LIVINGSTON AREA-BEARTOOTH FOOTHILLS-ABSAROKA/BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS-
CRAZY MOUNTAINS-NORTHEAST BIG HORN MOUNTAINS-SHERIDAN FOOTHILLS-
329 AM MST SUN JAN 11 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MONTANA...SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA...SOUTHEAST MONTANA AND NORTH
CENTRAL WYOMING.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A FAST MOVING CANADIAN WEATHER SYSTEM WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA
TONIGHT. IT WILL BRING STRONG WINDS TO THE LIVINGSTON AND NYE
AREAS TODAY WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH. PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL
ALONG INTERSTATE 90 BETWEEN BIG TIMBER AND LIVINGSTON SHOULD BE
PREPARED FOR STRONG CROSS WINDS. OVER EASTERN MONTANA...TRAVEL
MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING DUE TO
REDUCED VISIBILITIES FROM SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FROM STRONG
NORTHWEST WINDS OF 35 TO 50 MPH. THE TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS ARE
NOT EXPECTED TO BE LONG LIVED AS THE CANADIAN WEATHER SYSTEM
CAUSING THE CONDITIONS WILL MOVE QUICKLY OUT OF THE AREA BY MID
MORNING MONDAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 high wind, 1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern Wheatland

When: January 11, 11:55 AM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Wheatland forecast zone
Measured: 37 kt (43 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: Mesonet

Sustained winds of 43 mph were reported in Harlowton.

High Wind, Musselshell

When: January 11, 12:15 PM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Musselshell forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 46.497, -108.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 40 mph were recorded at the Bull Mountain RAWS.

High Wind, Northern Stillwater

When: January 11, 1:21 PM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Stillwater forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 59 mph was reported four miles south of Rapelje.

High Wind, Yellowstone

When: January 11, 2:35 PM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Yellowstone forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 59 mph was reported in Laurel.

Blizzard, Fallon

When: January 12, 12:53 AM MST to 6:25 AM MST
Where: Fallon forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts of 59 mph along with visibilities less than a quarter mile were observed at the Baker Airport.

High Wind, Carter

When: January 12, 2:23 AM MST to 4:00 AM MST
Where: Carter forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 45.517, -104.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 40 mph were reported at the Ekalaka and Alzada DOT sites.

High Wind, Custer

When: January 12, 2:25 AM MST to 4:00 AM MST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 46.253, -105.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 40 mph were reported at the Miles City Airport.

High Wind, Powder River

When: January 12, 4:19 AM MST to 6:00 AM MST
Where: Powder River forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 59 mph was reported at the Weston RAWS.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, January 2009

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: 145541, 145544, 145543, 145545, 145549, 145548, 145546, 145547.