Montana, 2014High Wind in Montana, January 13, 2014
January 13, 2014 · NWS MSO · 1 event in 1 county or zone
A strong northwesterly mid-level jet with speeds nearing 81 mph tracked across southwest Montana and triggered mountain wave activity which allowed for some of this wind to make it down to the surface north of Avon.
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- 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.
A strong northwesterly mid-level jet with speeds nearing 81 mph tracked across southwest Montana and triggered mountain wave activity which allowed for some of this wind to make it down to the surface north of Avon.
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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 13, 4:09 AM MST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 13, 4:09 AM MST, 1 hour 1 minute before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
409 AM MST Mon Jan 13 2014
...WIND AND SNOW REMAIN WEATHER IMPACT THROUGH TODAY...
...OVERNIGHT/MORNING VALLEY FREEZING FOG TUESDAY TO SATURDAY...
.DISCUSSION...
Gusty winds and occasional snow will continue to be present over
the Northern Rockies through today. Despite the fact that the
heaviest snowfall and the strongest wind speeds may be past, do
not be fooled. A resurgence in winds today will likely continue
the snow redistribution across previous cleared roads. Also, the
snow and wind will reduce visibility at times. Hazardous driving
conditions will result, particularly over area mountain passes. By
this evening, relief in the form of weaker winds and a rising
freezing level will arrive.
Tuesday through Saturday, high pressure will be the main weather
feature over the Northern Rockies. High elevations will warm up a
bit, while daytime temperature inversions develop for many area
valleys. Also, the recent snowfall in area valleys will allow fog
and freezing fog to develop each overnight and morning. Watch out
for sudden decreased visibility and icing on pavement within the
fog patches.
Extended forecast models agree upon the next storm cycle beginning
over the Northern Rockies by early next week, however the
characterizations of wind and snow impacts are still evolving.
Precipitation features depicted by model guidance this morning are
definitely weaker than those noted during the past two days,
however there is low confidence instilled with such dramatic
shifts in model solutions in the day 7 to day 8 time frame.
&&
.AVIATION...Gusty winds and occasional snow showers will continue
to be present at times for all Northern Rockies terminals through
14/0000Z. Snow showers will rapidly and temporarily decrease
ceilings and visibility, however these conditions will become
steadily less likely throughout the day. Winds above the terrain
ridges will be much stronger than the surface winds and may cause
dangerous mountain wave activity. Terrain will continue to be
obscured as well. After 14/0000Z, conditions will begin to be
consistently improved, both at area terminals and aloft.
&&
.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...WINTER STORM WARNING until 3 PM MST this afternoon
Bitterroot/Sapphire Mountains.
WIND ADVISORY until 3 PM MST this afternoon for I-90 Deer Lodge
to Highway 1 near Anaconda IN THE Butte/Blackfoot Region.
WIND ADVISORY until 3 PM MST this afternoon for the Bitterroot
Valley IN THE Missoula/Bitterroot Valleys.
WINTER STORM WARNING until 3 PM MST this afternoon Lower Clark
Fork Region.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 3 PM MST this afternoon for Marias
Pass IN THE Potomac/Seeley Lake Region...West Glacier
Region.
WIND ADVISORY until 3 PM MST this afternoon Kootenai/Cabinet
Region.
ID...WINTER STORM WARNING until 3 PM MST this afternoon Eastern Lemhi
County...Western Lemhi County.
WIND ADVISORY until 2 PM PST this afternoon Lower Hells
Canyon/Salmon River Region...Orofino/Grangeville Region.
WINTER STORM WARNING until 2 PM PST this afternoon Northern
Clearwater Mountains...Southern Clearwater Mountains.
&&
Zumpfe
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https://www.twitter.com/NWSMissoulaHigh Wind, Butte / Blackfoot Region
- When
- January 13, 5:10 AM MST to 4:32 PM MST
- Where
- Butte / Blackfoot Region forecast zone
- Measured
- 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The MT DOT sensor located 8.1 miles north-northwest of Avon on MT-141 reported multiple wind gusts over 60 mph. When the peak wind of 75 mph occurred at 8:11 am MST, the sustained wind was 54 mph from the west. The peak wind gust at the Bert Mooney Airport was 61 mph at 10:22 am MST from the west or 270 degrees. Other wind gusts include: 51 mph Anaconda at 10:26 am, 50 mph 2 miles southwest Newcomb at 10:23 am and 48 mph 2 miles south-southeast of Warm Springs at 7:34 am MST.
- 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.
- Cold in Illinois, January 13, 20141 death · 1 event
- Avalanche and Heavy Snow in Montana, January 13 to 18, 20141 injured · 103 kt wind · 31 events
- High Wind in South Dakota, January 13, 201459 kt wind · 9 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in California, January 13 to 15, 2014$6,000 · 76 kt wind · 5 events
- Winter Storm and High Wind in Alaska, January 13 to 15, 201452 kt wind · 4 events
- High Wind in North Dakota, January 13, 20144 events
- High Wind in California, January 13 to 15, 201465 kt wind · 3 events
- Winter Storm in Montana, January 13 to 14, 20143 events
- Heavy Snow in South Dakota, January 13 to 14, 20142 events
- Flooding in Indiana, January 13 to 20, 2014$4,000 · 2 events
- Wildfire in California, January 13 to 31, 20141 event
- Marine Thunderstorm Wind in Gulf of Mexico, January 13, 20141 event
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: 499376.