A major high wind event impacted most of Central Montana as the surface pressure gradient tightened across the region ahead of an approaching low pressure system. Mid level winds became quite strong (60 to 70 knots) during the afternoon, eventually mixing down to the surface at many locations over the plains and Southwest Montana valleys.
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 major high wind event impacted most of Central Montana as the surface pressure gradient tightened across the region ahead of an approaching low pressure system. Mid level winds became quite strong (60 to 70 knots) during the afternoon, eventually mixing down to the surface at many locations over the plains and Southwest Montana valleys. The main system moved over the state Sunday with winds increasing ahead of the main Pacific frontal boundary. A second, stronger wave aloft pushed through the region on Monday before high winds began to subside.
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 Sep 27, 1:55 PM MST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 255 PM MDT Fri Sep 27 2013 .DISCUSSION... Tonight through Sunday...Strong flow aloft will result in a very windy pattern through the period. A high wind warning has been hoisted for the Rocky Mountain Front with a wind watch for adjacent plains. Strong downslope winds will keep the plains generally dry with snow possible above 6500 feet over the western mountains. An upper ridge will build over the area Saturday with the ridge axis pushed east on Sunday as an upper trof approaches from the west. Strong downslope flow Sunday will continue to keep the plains dry. Temperatures will reach near seasonal averages through the weekend. Emanuel Sunday night through Friday...Medium range forecast models continue to show a near a very fast progressive westerly flow aloft over the area through next week. The upper level trough responsible for this pattern will continue to strengthen and and expand from its location in the Gulf of Alaska south along the BC coast and into western Canada. An induced upper level ridge downstream of this trough will begin the long term period bringing dry windy conditions. These winds are expected to remain strong as the shortwave troughs ejected from the level low approach the region and a decent pressure gradient along with a strong upper level jet continue to reside over the area. By Monday a shortwave will be ejected out over Montana and could bring some rain and snow showers to the area...with the bulk of the snow remaining in the mountains. After Monday models diverge in timing and location of subsequent shortwave troughs moving across the region. However models do continue to keep the fast progressive pattern in place. Have continue to keep pops slightly above seasonal averages due to this increased likelihood of showers moving quickly across the area in this type of flow pattern. Suk && .AVIATION... UPDATED 1800Z. VFR conditions will continue. High clouds will move back into the area from the west this evening. West winds will increase through the afternoon hours especially across the plains of Central and North Central Montana. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 41 64 49 65 / 0 0 0 10 CTB 37 59 46 58 / 10 20 20 20 HLN 39 64 45 65 / 0 10 0 10 BZN 35 63 41 67 / 0 10 0 0 WEY 24 48 31 54 / 10 10 0 0 DLN 35 60 40 61 / 0 10 0 10 HVR 36 66 46 69 / 0 0 0 10 LWT 34 62 43 67 / 0 0 0 0 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WATCH from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening Beaverhead...Broadwater...Cascade...Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Eastern Glacier...Eastern Pondera...Eastern Teton... Jefferson...Madison...Toole. HIGH WIND WARNING from Midnight tonight to Midnight MDT Sunday Night Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. && weather.gov/greatfalls
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 219 PM MDT FRI SEP 27 2013 MTZ008>010-012-014-015-044-046-048-049-052-281200- BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-CASCADE- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-TOOLE- EASTERN PONDERA-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON- JEFFERSON- 219 PM MDT FRI SEP 27 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT HIGH WIND HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY HIGH WIND HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF HIGH WINDS WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED. MTZ011-013-045-047-050-051-053>055-281200- HILL-CHOUTEAU-LIBERTY-BLAINE-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-BROADWATER- MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 219 PM MDT FRI SEP 27 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
259 PM MDT FRI SEP 27 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0200 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 13 WSW SAINT MARY 48.69N 113.71W
09/27/2013 M60 MPH GLACIER MT MESONET
60 MPH WIND GUST AT LOGAN PASS.
&&
BRUSDAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
301 PM MDT FRI SEP 27 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 8 SE EAST GLACIER PARK 48.37N 113.10W
09/27/2013 M57 MPH GLACIER MT MESONET
57 MPH WIND GUST AT THE DEEP CREEK RAWS LOCATION. TIME
OF EVENT IS ESTIMATED.
&&
BRUSDA41 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High winds measuring 63KT (72MPH) were reported at the Logan Pass Visitors Center.
High winds measuring 52KT (61MPH) were reported at Millegan.
High winds measuring 70KT (80MPH) were reported at the Deep Creek RAWS 8 mi SE of East Glacier Park.
High winds measuring 62KT (71MPH) were reported at the Two Medicine Bridge DOT site 1 mi E of East Glacier Park.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported 8 mi WNW of Whitlash, MT.
High winds estimated at 50KT (58MPH) damaged structures and ripped an anemometer off a roof.
High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported at the Browning Airstrip 6 mi WNW of Browning, MT.
High winds measuring 61KT (70MPH) were reported at the Dellwo MCSCN site.
High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported at the Heart Butte RAWS.
High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported at the Theodore Roosevelt Ranch.
High winds measuring 70KT (81MPH) were reported.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported at the Blackfeet Agrimet.
High winds measuring 61KT (70MPH) were reported 2 mi SSE of Geyser, MT.
High winds measuring 51KT (59MPH) were reported 1 mi N of Loma, MT.
High winds measuring 53KT (61MPH) were reported at the Norris Hill DOT site.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported at the Elkhorn RAWS.
High winds measuring 53KT (61MPH) were reported at the Sweetgrass DOT site on I-15.
High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported at the Lewistown Airport ASOS.
High sustained winds measuring 36KT (41MPH) were reported 2 mi NW of Pendroy, MT.
High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported at the Cut Bank Airport ASOS.
High winds measuring 51KT (59MPH) were reported by road crew 1 mi SE of Big Sandy, MT.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported at the NWS Great Falls WFO.
High winds measuring 51KT (59MPH) were reported at Raynolds Pass.
High winds measuring 66KT (76MPH) were reported in Cascade, MT.
High winds measuring 54KT (62MPH) were reported at the Elkhorn RAWS.
High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported at the Ginger RAWS.
High winds measuring 55KT (63MPH) were reported at the Sweetgrass DOT sensor on I-15.
High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported at the West Yellowstone Airport AWOS.
High winds measuring 53KT (61MPH) were reported at the Crooked Coulee MCSCN site.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported 1 mi S of Rudyard, MT.
High winds measuring 61KT (70MPH) were reported in Conrad, MT.
High winds measuring 56KT (65MPH) were reported at Mud Lake.
High winds measuring 53KT (61MPH) were reported 1 mi WSW of Conrad, MT.
High winds measuring 53KT (61MPH) were reported at Galata, MT.
High winds measuring 59KT (68MPH) were reported at the Cut Bank Airport ASOS.
High winds measuring 51KT (59MPH) were reported 6 mi SE of Dutton, MT.
High winds measuring 54KT (62MPH) were reported at the Malmstrom Air Force Base ASOS.
High winds measuring 53KT (61MPH) were reported at the Blackfeet Agrimet.
High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported at the Geyser DOT site.
High winds measuring 56KT (64MPH) were reported at the Great Falls Airport.
High winds estimated at 52KT (60MPH) were reported 7 mi SW of Tracy, MT. Ten inch tree limbs down as well.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, September 2013
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: 476334, 475925, 475926, 475927, 475928, 475931, 475929, 476335, 476336, 476337, 476338, 476339, 476341, 476342, 476344, 476345, 476347, 476348, 476350, 476346, 476351, 476352, 476353, 476354, 476355, 476356, 476357, 476358, 476359, 476361, 476362, 476363, 476364, 476365, 476367, 476368, 476366, 476369, 476370, 476371, and more.