High Wind in Montana, November 18, 2010

Name: High Wind in Montana, November 18, 2010
Start: 2010-11-18T02:29
End: 2010-11-18T09:35
Location: Montana

November 18, 2010 · NWS TFX · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

A strong cold front moved across Southwest Montana and brough high winds to portions of Madison and Gallatin Counties. Wind speeds 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.

A strong cold front moved across Southwest Montana and brough high winds to portions of Madison and Gallatin Counties. Wind speeds 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 Nov 17, 10:55 PM MST, 3 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 17, 10:55 PM MST, 3 hours 34 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 17, 4:06 PM MST, 10 hours 23 minutes before

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Event by event

5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Madison

When: November 18, 2:29 AM MST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

A wind gust to 61 mph was reported at the Norris Hill DOT site.

High Wind, Gallatin

When: November 18, 6:15 AM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 60 mph was reported at the Three Forks airport.

High Wind, Madison

When: November 18, 7:29 AM MST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

A wind gust to 63 mph was reported at the Norris Hill DOT site.

High Wind, Gallatin

When: November 18, 8:35 AM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 59 mph was reported at the Three Forks airport.

High Wind, Gallatin

When: November 18, 9:35 AM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 63 mph was reported at the Three Forks airport.

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

Every storm in Montana in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, November 2010

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: 264553, 264554, 264555, 264557, 264558.