High Wind, Southern Lewis and Clark
- When
- January 27, 2:27 AM MST
- Where
- Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
- Measured
- 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
A wind gust to 67 mph was reported at Lincoln 6N.
High Wind in Montana, January 27, 2009
Deep surface low pressure moving across southern Alberta contributed to high winds developing along the Rocky Mountain Front and adjacent plains. Wind gusts in excess of 60 mph were reported.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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 TFX wrote it up.
Deep surface low pressure moving across southern Alberta contributed to high winds developing along the Rocky Mountain Front and adjacent plains. Wind gusts in excess of 60 mph were reported.
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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 26, 10:45 PM MST, 3 hours 42 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 26, 10:45 PM MST, 3 hours 42 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1045 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 ...UPDATE TO AVIATION... .UPDATE... UPDATED TEMPERATURES FOR TONIGHT AND TOMORROW. ALSO WINDS AT GREAT FALLS WERE CURRENTLY HIGHER THAN FORECAST SO RAISED THOSE A BIT AS WELL. NO MAJOR CHANGES THOUGH. && .DISCUSSION... TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...A SOMEWHAT COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN IS IN STORE FOR THE AREA TONIGHT. COLD AIRMASS AT THE SURFACE WILL AGAIN RADIATE OUT THIS EVENING BUT BEGIN TO MODERATE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS A LEE SIDE TROF DEVELOPS. AS THE WINDS INCREASE OVERNIGHT...WIND CHILLS WILL DROP INTO THE ADVISORY RANGE FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE COUNTY WARNING AREA. WILL THEREFORE GO WITH A WIND CHILL ADVISORY OVERNIGHT. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND OVER EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY AND HAVE UPGRADED THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A WARNING. THE DOWNSLOPE CONDITIONS WILL INHIBIT ANY PRECIPITATION OVER THE PLAINS. BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON...SHORT WAVE ENERGY WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHWEST MONTANA. THE HEAVIEST SNOW FROM THIS FEATURE WILL TRAIN ACROSS SOUTHEAST GALLATIN COUNTY AND HAVE ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW FOR THIS AREA...CONTINUING INTO WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE DURING THE PERIOD AND REACH NEAR SEASONAL AVERAGES ON WEDNESDAY. EMANUEL WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...A RATHER QUIET PERIOD OF WEATHER IS EXPECTED DURING MUCH OF THIS TIME. LATEST GFS/ECMWF CONTINUE TO INDICATE A NICE WARMING TREND THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES COULD BE CLOSE TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL OVER THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL STILL BE A BIT COOL THOUGH IN THE VALLEYS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA AND IN THE HAVRE AREA. ANY PRECIP WILL BE CONFINED MAINLY TO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. ON SATURDAY...A FAST MOVING CANADIAN COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. EXPECT AN INCREASED CHANCE FOR SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE REGION...ALONG WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR MOVING INTO THE AREA. BRUSDA SUNDAY AND MONDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...LEAVING MONTANA UNDER A NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. ECMWF SHOW HIGHER AMPLITUDE RIDGE OVER THE REGION WITH A RATHER FLAT RIDGE ON THE GFS. A WEAK PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA ON SUNDAY. SO WILL GO WITH SEASONABLY MILD TEMPERATURES WITH ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ON BOTH DAYS. WILLIAMSON DC && .AVIATION... UPDATED 0545Z. VFR CONDITIONS WILL GENERALLY CONTINUE ACROSS MOST OF NORTH CENTRAL...CENTRAL...AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA INTO TUESDAY EVENING. AN APPROACHING PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING INCREASING CLOUDINESS TO THE AREA OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY AND CAUSE WESTERLY WINDS TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY. GUSTS ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE ROCKIES WILL BE IN THE 50 TO 60 KT RANGE ON TUESDAY. GUSTY WINDS WILL REACH DOWN TO THE KHLN TERMINAL...BUT THE KBZN TERMINAL WILL GENERALLY BE SHIELDED FROM THE STRONGEST WINDS. THE SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING PRECIPITATION TO THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN MONTANA IN THE MORNING AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA (INCLUDING THE KHLN AND KBZN TERMINALS) DURING THE AFTERNOON. MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION...WHILE THE KHLN AND KBZN TERMINALS MAY SEE HIGH MVFR CONDITIONS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. COULSTON && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 4 27 20 34 / 0 0 20 20 CTB 2 25 17 32 / 0 0 20 20 HLN -7 27 22 37 / 0 0 20 30 BZN -24 25 19 37 / 0 0 20 40 WEY -14 13 4 25 / 10 20 80 80 DLN -19 24 17 33 / 0 0 20 30 HVR -17 22 9 27 / 0 0 10 20 LWT -12 27 18 30 / 0 0 10 30 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM MST TUESDAY FOR MTZ010>014-044>047-049>055. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 PM TUESDAY TO 11 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR MTZ055. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 9 AM TO 11 PM MST TUESDAY FOR MTZ009-010-048. && SHORT TERM...ZELZER LONG TERM...BRUSDA/WILLIAMSON AVIATION...COULSTON WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 26, 4:25 PM MST, 10 hours 2 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 425 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 MTZ009-010-048-271300- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER- SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 425 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT WESTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND INTO EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY TONIGHT. LINGERING COLD AIR WILL COMBINE WITH THESE GUSTY WINDS ACROSS EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING...CAUSING COLD WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES. THEREFORE...A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY FROM 6 PM MST THIS EVENING UNTIL 8 AM MST TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 8 AM MST TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM UP CONSIDERABLY ON TUESDAY AS WINDS BECOME QUITE STRONG THROUGH THE DAY. THEREFORE...A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY FROM 9 AM MST UNTIL 11 PM MST ON TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ011>013-044>047-049>051-271300- HILL-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE- EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS- 425 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MONTANA TONIGHT. LINGERING COLD AIR WILL COMBINE WITH THESE GUSTY WINDS OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING...CAUSING COLD WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES. THEREFORE...A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MONTANA FROM 6 PM MST THIS EVENING UNTIL 8 AM MST TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 8 AM MST TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ014-052>054-271300- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER- 425 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA TONIGHT. LINGERING COLD AIR WILL COMBINE WITH THESE GUSTY WINDS OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING...CAUSING COLD WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES. THEREFORE...A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA FROM 6 PM MST THIS EVENING UNTIL 8 AM MST TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 8 AM MST TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ008-015-055-271300- BEAVERHEAD-MADISON-GALLATIN- 425 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA TONIGHT. LINGERING COLD AIR WILL COMBINE WITH THESE GUSTY WINDS OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING...CAUSING COLD WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES...ESPECIALLY IN GALLATIN COUNTY. THEREFORE...A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR GALLATIN COUNTY FROM 6 PM MST THIS EVENING UNTIL 8 AM MST TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR GALLATIN COUNTY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 8 AM MST TUESDAY. A PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM MAY THEN BRING MEASURABLE SNOWFALL TO PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...ESPECIALLY GALLATIN COUNTY. THEREFORE...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR GALLATIN COUNTY FOR 5 PM TUESDAY THROUGH 11 AM MST WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
Event by event
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, Eastern Teton
- When
- January 27, 4:33 AM MST
- Where
- Eastern Teton forecast zone
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
A wind gust to 67 mph was reported at Dupuyer 9SW.
High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front
- When
- January 27, 4:36 AM MST
- Where
- North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
- Measured
- 71 kt (82 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
A wind gust to 82 mph was reported at Babb. Additionally, a wind gust to 83 mph was reported at the Two Medicine DOT site and a gust to 64 mph was reported at Heart Butte.
High Wind, Toole
- When
- January 27, 6:47 AM MST
- Where
- Toole forecast zone
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
A wind gust to 60 mph was reported at Whitlash 8WNW. Additionally, a gust to 67 mph was reported at Kevin.
High Wind, Eastern Glacier
- When
- January 27, 12:56 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern Glacier forecast zone
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
A wind gust to 66 mph was reported at the Cut Bank ASOS site.
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
- Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Texas, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Winter Storm in Texas, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Delaware, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Winter Storm in Ohio, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Winter Storm in West Virginia, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 27 to 29, 2009
- Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 27 to 28, 2009
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 27 to 29, 2009
- Ice Storm in Virginia, January 27 to 28, 2009
More
Every storm in Montana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 150578, 150579, 150580, 150581, 150582.