Avalanche and High Wind in Montana, November 25 to 28, 2014

Name: Avalanche and High Wind in Montana, November 25 to 28, 2014
Start: 2014-11-25T00:00
End: 2014-11-28T11:50
Location: Montana

November 25 to 28, 2014 · NWS TFX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Strong west flow ahead of an upper level low pressure system is moving across Central Montana. Winds aloft strengthened and produced high winds along the Rockies and adjacent plains.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

Strong west flow ahead of an upper level low pressure system is moving across Central Montana. Winds aloft strengthened and produced high winds along the Rockies and adjacent plains.

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 24, 10:45 PM MST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 24, 10:45 PM MST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 24, 8:02 PM MST, 3 hours 58 minutes before

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Local storm report, Nov 24, 10:11 PM MST, 1 hour 49 minutes before

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Local storm report, Nov 24, 10:27 PM MST, 1 hour 33 minutes before

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Event by event

7 high wind, 1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.

Avalanche, Gallatin

When: November 25, 12:00 AM MST to November 27, 12:00 AM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Multiple skier triggered avalanches in the Bridger Mountains of Southwest Montana. No injuries.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: November 27, 6:11 AM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

High wind gusts, measured at 63KT (73MPH), were reported at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch, 17 mi W of Pendroy, MT.

High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: November 27, 7:00 AM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

High wind gusts, measured at 52KT (60MPH), were reported at the Heart Butte RAWS.

High Wind, Eastern Teton

When: November 27, 9:45 AM MST
Where: Eastern Teton forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High wind gusts, measured at 53KT (61MPH), were reported 6 mi SSW of Power, MT.

High Wind, Madison

When: November 27, 9:55 AM MST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

High wind gusts, measured at 52KT (60MPH), were reported at the Norris Hill DOT site, 4 mi NNE of McAllister, MT.

High Wind, Toole

When: November 27, 10:45 AM MST to 11:45 AM MST
Where: Toole forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: Mesonet

High sustained winds, measured at 43KT (50MPH), were reported 8 mi WNW of Whitlash, MT.

High Wind, Eastern Glacier

When: November 27, 1:13 PM MST
Where: Eastern Glacier forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

High wind gusts, measured at 53KT (61MPH), were reported at the Cut Bank Airport ASOS, 3 mi SW of Cut Bank, MT.

High Wind, Cascade

When: November 28, 11:50 AM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

High wind gusts, measured at 50KT (58MPH), were reported at the Malmstrom Air Force Base ASOS.

What these are

Avalanche: A mass of snow sliding down a mountainside that caused a death, an injury or damage.
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 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, November 2014

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: 549396, 549389, 549390, 549391, 549392, 549393, 549394, 549395.