High Wind in Montana, April 27, 2012

Name: High Wind in Montana, April 27, 2012
Start: 2012-04-27T18:53
End: 2012-04-27T18:53
Location: Montana

April 27, 2012 · NWS TFX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A strong cold front moving across North Central Montana produced strong winds in Fergus County. Wind gusts to 61 mph were reported.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 moving across North Central Montana produced strong winds in Fergus County. Wind gusts to 61 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 Apr 27, 5:25 PM MST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 27, 5:25 PM MST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
625 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

.DISCUSSION...
TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING...LATEST ANALYSIS SHOWS DEEP UPPER
LEVEL TROF NOW ALIGNED NORTHWEST-SOUTHEAST FROM CENTRAL WYOMING TO
ERN WASHINGTON. BROAD MOISTURE PLUME WRAPS ALONG THE ERN/NRN FLANKS
OF THE TROF...SPREADING MIX OF VALLEY RAIN/MTN SNOW OVER THE ENTIRE
FORECAST AREA THIS AFTN.  A FEW LOWER ELEVATIONS SPOTS LIKE
LEWISTOWN AND GREAT FALLS HAVE ALREADY SEEN BRIEF PERIODS OF
RAIN/SNOW MIX INDICATING THAT COOLER AIR ALOFT IS BEGINNING TO PUSH
THE SNOW LEVELS DOWN TO AROUND 4000 FT.  WILL CONTINUE TO SEE SNOW
LEVELS HOVER IN THE 4000-4500 RANGE THRU THIS EVE THEN SETTLE CLOSER
TO ABOUT 3500 FT FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD.  ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION
TONIGHT WILL RESULT IN LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS (1-3 INCHES) AT SOME
LOWER ELEVATION SITES.  MAIN AREA OF CONCERN IS HILL/BLAINE/
NORTHEAST CHOUTEAU COUNTIES WHERE FORECAST MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW
AN ADDITIONAL 0.5 TO 0.75 INCH OF PRECIP WITH SOME SPOTS IN THE
BEARS PAW MTNS GETTING CLOSE TO AN ADDITIONAL INCH...WHICH WILL MAKE
FOR A FOOT OF SNOW IN THE MTNS AND GOOD STREAM/CREEK RISES.  MODELS
STILL IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE UPPER TROF WILL SLOWLY LIFT
NORTHWARD ALONG THE MT/DAKOTAS BORDER THROUGH SUNDAY.  MOISTURE WILL
CONTINUE TO WRAP AROUND THE TROF...KEEPING A CHANCE OF VALLEY
RAIN/MTN SNOW SHOWERS OVER ERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA THRU
SUN AFTN.  AREAS ALONG/WEST OF THE I-15 CORRIDOR WILL SEE GRADUALLY
IMPROVING CONDITIONS FROM SUNDAY MORNING ONWARD...THOUGH A FEW LIGHT
SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE SUN AFTN AS LAST BIT OF MOISTURE AND
INSTABILITY EXIT THE AREA.  TEMPERATURES REMAINING BELOW SEASONAL
VALUES...WITH LOW-MID 40S TOMORROW AND UPPER 40S TO LOW 50S ON SUN.
WARANAUSKAS

GIVEN THE EXPECTED PRECIP AMOUNTS...RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL CONTINUE
TO RISE. HAVE ADDED NEW SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORIES FOR PORTIONS
OF CENTRAL MT AND THE HILINE. FURTHER DETAILS ARE IN THE
HYDROLOGY SECTION BELOW.

SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...BY SUNDAY EVENING MOST OF THE
PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH. PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME LIGHT AND
GFS CRITICAL THICKNESS VALUES SUGGEST PRECIPITATION COULD FALL AS
SNOW...OR MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW...BUT SURFACE TEMPERATURES ALONG
WITH LIGHT INTENSITIES WILL PROHIBIT ANY ACCUMULATION...EXCEPT IN
THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WHERE MINOR ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE. THE
NEXT SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA MONDAY EVENING BRINGING A
CHANCE OF PACIFIC MOISTURE...MAINLY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT
AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THE NEXT DISTURBANCE MOVES INTO THE REGION BUT REMAINS NORTH OF
THE AREA. EXPECT GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS FOR NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA ON
TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. DRIER CONDITIONS
CAN BE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. MAX TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN BELOW TO NEAR NORMAL...WHILE OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL GENERALLY
RUN 5 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD.
MERCER

&&

.AVIATION...
UPDATED 0025Z.
A STORM SYSTEM OVER THE AREA WILL CONTINUE TO BRING REDUCED
VISIBILITY...LOWER CEILINGS...AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE AREA THROUGH
THE TAF PERIOD. WESTERLY WINDS WILL GUST TO 40 KNOTS AT TIMES THIS
EVENING...DECREASING TO 30 KNOTS SATURDAY MORNING. MVFR/IFR
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT TIMES AND MOUNTAINS WILL BE OBSCURED. MPJ

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
THE WET SPRING STORM SYSTEM IMPACTING THE REGION WILL PRODUCE SOME
HYDROLOGIC ISSUES ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. MANY
STREAMS WERE ALREADY SEEING INCREASED FLOW DUE TO SNOWMELT BEFORE
THIS STORMS ARRIVAL AND RECENT PRECIPITATION HAS CAUSED ADDITIONAL
RISES WITH SOME STREAMS ALREADY NEAR OR EXCEEDING BANKFULL IN WESTERN
GLACIER COUNTY. COOLER TEMPS HAVE LIKELY ENDED SNOWMELT BUT SHOWERY
PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE IN THIS AREA THROUGH TONIGHT AND A SMALL
STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING. A SIMILAR SITUATION EXISTS ALONG THE BIG HOLE RIVER IN SW
MT...WHERE STEADY RISES HAVE BEEN NOTED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS
WITH THE RIVER EXCEEDING ACTION STAGE AT MELROSE THIS MORNING. WITH
ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT AND SCATTERED IN THIS
AREA AND SNOWMELT LESS OF A FACTOR FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AM NOT
EXPECTING THIS RIVER TO REACH FLOOD STAGE BUT HAVE ISSUED A RIVER
STATEMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ELEVATED LEVELS THROUGH THIS WEEKEND.
ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION IS A CONCERN OVER EASTERN PORTIONS OF NORTH
CENTRAL MONTANA WHERE ABOUT A QUARTER INCH TO INCH OF PRECIPITATION
HAS ALREADY BEEN RECEIVED AND ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS IN THIS RANGE ARE
EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. EXPECT SOME MINOR FLOODING ISSUES
IN LOW LYING AREAS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA WITH AREAS NEAR THE BEARS
PAW...HIGHWOOD...LITTLE BELT AND BIG SNOWY MOUNTAINS BEING MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO MORE SIGNIFICANT CREEK FLOODING AND HAVE ISSUED A
SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY TO HIGHLIGHT THESE AREAS THROUGH SUNDAY
MORNING.   HOENISCH

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  32  45  38  53 /  90  60  50  30
CTB  30  46  36  52 /  80  50  40  20
HLN  32  49  35  53 /  60  50  30  30
BZN  28  46  32  51 /  50  60  40  30
WEY  21  37  26  42 /  50  60  40  40
DLN  26  47  30  51 /  40  30  20  20
HVR  33  43  38  50 / 100  80  50  30
LWT  32  38  33  43 / 100  80  70  30

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR ELEVATIONS
ABOVE 4000 FEET FOR BLAINE...BROADWATER...CASCADE...CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK...CHOUTEAU...EASTERN GLACIER...FERGUS...
HILL...JUDITH BASIN...NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...SOUTHERN
ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT SATURDAY EASTERN
PONDERA...EASTERN TETON...LIBERTY...TOOLE.

WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR ELEVATIONS
ABOVE 6500 FEET FOR BEAVERHEAD...GALLATIN...MADISON.

WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT SATURDAY JEFFERSON...MEAGHER.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR ELEVATIONS
BELOW 4000 FEET FOR BLAINE...BROADWATER...CASCADE...CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK...CHOUTEAU...EASTERN GLACIER...FERGUS...
HILL...JUDITH BASIN...NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...SOUTHERN
ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT.

SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR GLACIER COUNTY UNTIL NOON SATURDAY.

SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR
CHOUTEAU...HILL...BLAINE...CASCADE...JUDITH BASIN...FERGUS UNTIL
EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

&&

SHORT TERM...WARANAUSKAS
LONG TERM...MERCER
AVIATION...MPJ

WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 27, 4:30 PM MST, 2 hours 23 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
530 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

MTZ008>015-044>055-281200-
BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-
CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-
TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-
SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-
JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN-
530 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

NUMEROUS WINTER WEATHER AND HYDROLOGIC HIGHLIGHTS REMAIN IN EFFECT
FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NUMEROUS WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS
OF THE REGION UNTIL SATURDAY EVENING.

NUMEROUS HYDROLOGIC HIGHLIGHTS REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF SNOW ACCUMULATION AND FLOODING PROBLEMS WOULD
GREATLY BE APPRECIATED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 27, 2:14 PM MST, 4 hours 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
314 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0900 AM     HEAVY SNOW       10 S WEST YELLOWSTONE   44.52N 111.13W
04/27/2012  M8.0 INCH        GALLATIN           MT   MESONET

            8 INCHES OF SNOWFALL IN THE LAST 12 HOURS AT THE BLACK
            BEAR SNOTEL. ELEVATION 8170 FEET.

&&

CORRECTED EVENT

BRUSDA

Local storm report, Apr 27, 3:16 PM MST, 3 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
416 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     HEAVY RAIN       15 SSE ROCKY BOY        48.07N 109.63W
04/27/2012  M2.03 INCH       CHOUTEAU           MT   TRAINED SPOTTER

            2.03 INCHES OF LIQUID PRECIPITATION SINCE 6 PM THURSDAY
            EVENING.

&&

BRUSDA

Local storm report, Apr 27, 3:17 PM MST, 3 hours 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
417 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     SNOW             15 SSE ROCKY BOY        48.07N 109.63W
04/27/2012  E3.0 INCH        CHOUTEAU           MT   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ESTIMATED 3 INCHES OF NEW SNOW SINCE 6 PM THURSDAY
            EVENING.

&&

BRUSDA

Local storm report, Apr 27, 4:47 PM MST, 2 hours 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
547 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0445 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 E ROY                 47.33N 108.92W
04/27/2012  M59 MPH          FERGUS             MT   MESONET

            59 MPH WIND GUST AT THE OSCAR RAWS LOCATION...JUST EAST
            OF ROY.

&&

BRUSDA

Local storm report, Apr 27, 5:12 PM MST, 1 hour 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
612 PM MDT FRI APR 27 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0553 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 E ROY                 47.33N 108.92W
04/27/2012  M58 MPH          FERGUS             MT   MESONET

            58 MPH WIND GUST IN THE PAST HOUR.

&&

BRUSDA

Event by event

1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Fergus

When: April 27, 6:53 PM MST
Where: Fergus forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 61 mph was reported at Roy 2E (the OSCAR Raws 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

Every storm in Montana in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, April 2012

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: 371315.