A Pacific storm moving over the Rocky Mountains brought high winds to the area. Wind gusts in excess of 70 mph were reported.
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.
A Pacific storm moving over the Rocky Mountains brought high winds to the area. Wind gusts in excess of 70 mph were reported.
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 Feb 14, 9:25 PM MST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 925 PM MST MON FEB 14 2011 .UPDATE... UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE CONTINUES TO WEAKEN OVER THE REGION THIS EVENING. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A WEAK TROF MOVING ALONG THE US/CAN BORDER...BUT ITS ONLY BRINGING SOME INCREASED CLOUD COVER TO THE HILINE...NO PRECIP BEING REPORTED. MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES COVER THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA FROM GREAT FALLS TO BOZEMAN/DILLON. CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING ALONG THE ROCKY MTN FRONT AND HIGH WIND WATCH FOR TOMORROW FROM SOUTHERN LEWIS & CLARK COUNTY TO CASCADE AND JUDITH BASIN REMAIN IN EFFECT WITH NO CHANGES AT THIS TIME. GAVE CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT TO ENDING THE WARNING WITH THIS UPDATE...BUT LATEST NAM AND RUC MODEL OUTPUT INDICATED LOW-LEVEL WIND SPEEDS CAPABLE OF REACHING WARNING CRITERIA LASTING UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT. HIGH WIND WATCH FOR TOMORROW IS MUCH TOUGHER CALL AS CHANCES OF REACHING WARNING CRITERIA ARE LESS CERTAIN...WILL LET MIDNIGHT SHIFT GIVE IT ONE LAST LOOK BEFORE DECIDING TO CANCEL OR UPGRADE. ONLY FORECAST GRID ADJUSTMENTS THIS EVENING WERE TO INCREASE SKY COVER ALONG THE HILINE AND REDUCE POPS ALONG THE ROCKY MTN FRONT TO BETTER MATCH SATELLITE IMAGERY. WARANAUSKAS .DISCUSSION... TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT MOVES SLOWLY EAST OVERNIGHT WITH AN INCREASING SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. WEAK SHORT WAVE ENERGY MOVING OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES ALONG WITH A TIGHTENED SURFACE GRADIENT WILL CAUSE WINDS TO INCREASE. A WIND WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. MODELS ALSO INDICATE AN AREA OF STRONG WINDS ALONG CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY WARNING AREA AND A HIGH WIND WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR EARLY TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT INCREASES ON TUESDAY WITH SHOWERS INCREASING IN AREAL COVERAGE. A BROAD UPPER TROF MOVES TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON WEDNESDAY WITH SHOWERS CONTINUING TO INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES. EMANUEL WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...MOIST SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH WILL BRING AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW AND COLDER TEMPERATURES. HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL BE OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA WHILE UPSLOPE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED OVER NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME BUT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND UPDATE ACCORDINGLY. AS THE TROUGH MOVES EASTWARD...AN ARCTIC AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL DROP INTO THE REGION...HOWEVER THE MODELS DIVERGE ON HOW STRONG THIS SURGE AND DURATION OF COLD AIR WILL BE. THE GFS IS TRENDING WARMER AND BRINGING WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE FLOW TO THE AREA WHILE THE ECMWF REMAINS COLD WITH THE ARCTIC HIGH OVER SOUTHERN CANADA. THE COLDER AIRMASS WILL EXIT BY THE WEEKEND WITH MODELS BECOMING IN FAIR AGREEMENT OF PREDOMINANT WESTERLY FLOW THROUGH SUNDAY WITH HINTS OF ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TROUGH TOWARDS THE END OF THE PERIOD. MLS && .AVIATION... UPDATED 0000Z VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE HOLDS OVER THE AREA. STRONG CHINOOK WINDS WILL RETURN ALONG THE ROCKIES AND ADJACENT PLAINS LATER THIS EVENING BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF GUSTY WINDS UP TO 35KTS AT TIMES. EXPECT MID AND HIGH CLOUDS TO INCREASE WITH SOME MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION POSSIBLE ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. LIGHT SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP OVERNIGHT ALONG THE ROCKIES WITH DOWNSLOPING KEEPING LOCATIONS TO THE EAST DRY. && .HYDROLOGY... TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES TO START THE WEEK. DURING THIS TIME...MELTING OF BOTH SNOW AND RIVER ICE WILL CAUSE RIVER AND STREAM LEVELS TO RISE. ICE BREAKUP MAY ALSO GET JAMMED UNDER BRIDGES DOWNSTREAM...WHICH MAY ALSO CAUSE RIVER LEVELS UPSTREAM TO RISE. ALTHOUGH OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO FALL BACK BELOW FREEZING...WHICH WILL LIKELY LIMIT THE IMPACT OF THESE SCENARIOS...THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE HYDROLOGIC HIGHLIGHTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 36 48 30 38 / 0 20 40 20 CTB 35 40 26 34 / 10 20 40 20 HLN 33 49 30 41 / 0 20 30 40 BZN 29 48 29 42 / 0 10 20 30 WEY 17 33 21 29 / 20 40 40 40 DLN 27 44 28 39 / 10 20 40 40 HVR 35 44 29 32 / 0 10 20 20 LWT 32 46 24 41 / 0 10 30 20 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 AM MST TUESDAY NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. HIGH WIND WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON CASCADE...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK...JUDITH BASIN. && SHORT TERM...EMANUEL LONG TERM...MPJ AVIATION...GUSTAFSON WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 449 AM MST MON FEB 14 2011 MTZ009-048-151300- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 449 AM MST MON FEB 14 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT BEGINNING AT 3 PM MST. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 8 AM MST TUESDAY. ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. DURING THIS TIME...MELTING OF BOTH SNOW AND RIVER ICE WILL CAUSE RIVER AND STREAM LEVELS TO RISE. ICE BREAKUP MAY ALSO CAUSE JAMS AT BRIDGES OR OTHER STRUCTURES IN THE STREAMS...WHICH MAY IN TURN CAUSE UPSTREAM RIVER LEVELS TO RISE. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING AT LOWER ELEVATIONS THROUGH MID-WEEK. CONDITIONS WILL BE MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ050-151300- JUDITH BASIN- 449 AM MST MON FEB 14 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE NORTHEAST SLOPES OF THE LITTLE BELT MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. A HIGH WIND WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED BEGINNING AT 6 PM MST .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 5 AM MST WEDNESDAY. ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. DURING THIS TIME...MELTING OF BOTH SNOW AND RIVER ICE WILL CAUSE RIVER AND STREAM LEVELS TO RISE. ICE BREAKUP MAY ALSO CAUSE JAMS AT BRIDGES OR OTHER STRUCTURES IN THE STREAMS...WHICH MAY IN TURN CAUSE UPSTREAM RIVER LEVELS TO RISE. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING AT LOWER ELEVATIONS THROUGH MID-WEEK. CONDITIONS WILL BE MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ008-010>015-044>047-049-051>055-151300- BEAVERHEAD-EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-TOOLE-LIBERTY- EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-EASTERN TETON-FERGUS-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER- MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 449 AM MST MON FEB 14 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER TODAY AND TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. DURING THIS TIME...MELTING OF BOTH SNOW AND RIVER ICE WILL CAUSE RIVER AND STREAM LEVELS TO RISE. ICE BREAKUP MAY ALSO CAUSE JAMS AT BRIDGES OR OTHER STRUCTURES IN THE STREAMS...WHICH MAY IN TURN CAUSE UPSTREAM RIVER LEVELS TO RISE. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING AT LOWER ELEVATIONS THROUGH MID-WEEK. CONDITIONS WILL BE MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust to 59 mph was reported at Bynum 13W (the Dellwo MSCN site).
A wind gust to 79 mph was reported at East Glacier Park 8SE (the Deep Creek RAWS site - elevation 5341 feet).
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 2011
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: 282074, 282071.