A low pressure system approaching from the west moved inland over the Pacific Northwest, putting Central Montana underneath a strong southwest flow aloft. The increased pressure gradient over the region resulted in strong winds, with Northern Rocky Mountain Front locations seeing high wind criteria.
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 low pressure system approaching from the west moved inland over the Pacific Northwest, putting Central Montana underneath a strong southwest flow aloft. The increased pressure gradient over the region resulted in strong winds, with Northern Rocky Mountain Front locations seeing high wind criteria.
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 1, 1:39 PM MST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 239 PM MDT Mon Sep 1 2014 .DISCUSSION... Tonight through Wednesday...High pressure will build overnight and, with the high pressure and drying air mass, stable conditions will be in place Tuesday. The main interest in this forecast period is the approaching low pressure trof to the west which will move over the Pacific Northwest Tuesday night. This will put Central Montana underneath southwest flow aloft. The trof will approach the Rockies during the night and the associated cold front will move across the Northern Rockies soon after midnight, and Cut Bank by sunrise. Low level moisture behind the front should be reaching Cut Bank around 12z Wednesday. The push south will be weak and most moisture will remain across the Hiline. Cooler air will move in aloft and Wednesday will see some lift across the zones although the strongest dynamics will be in Canada. With cool air aloft, some breaks in the sky cover could develop enough heating to cause some instability across the Hiline Wednesday afternoon...and a thunderstorm is not out of the question. Temperatures will push to near or above normals underneath the high pressure on Tuesday back drop below normals Wednesday. Zelzer Wednesday night through Monday...An upper level trof of low pressure will continue to move through the region Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Expect a few showers to accompany the trof from Wednesday night into Thursday...with the best chance for any showers falling over North Central MT. Otherwise...mostly dry conditions...along with a warming trend is expected from Thursday through Monday. There will be a small chance for an isolated shower/thunderstorm over the weekend over the mountain areas...but confidence is quite low at this time for the development of any storms. In terms of temperatures...it will be cool/comfortable on Thursday...with highs mostly in the 60s. For Friday through Monday...expect a nice warming trend...with afternoon highs generally ranging from the upper 70s to lower 80s by Monday. Overnight lows will generally be in the 40s. Brusda && .AVIATION... UPDATED 1730Z. Generally benign weather conditions expected over the next 24 hours across north-central and southwest Montana. May see a shower or two over the northern Rocky Mountain Front. Will see mid- level clouds build up a bit across the forecast area this afternoon with gusty winds to around 30 kts continuing at KCTB. Winds will be generally lighter elsewhere. Winds will quickly diminish and become light and variable at most terminals by around 01-02z with few-scattered mid-level clouds continuing. Foltz && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 48 75 51 63 / 0 0 10 40 CTB 47 71 45 56 / 0 0 10 70 HLN 48 79 50 66 / 0 0 10 30 BZN 42 76 44 65 / 0 0 10 20 WEY 33 65 36 62 / 0 0 10 0 DLN 44 76 46 64 / 0 0 0 10 HVR 49 75 50 66 / 10 0 10 50 LWT 47 74 50 65 / 0 0 10 30 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && weather.gov/greatfalls www.twitter.com/NWSGreatFalls www.facebook.com/NWSGreatFalls
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High wind gusts, measuring 56KT (65MPH), were reported 13 mi WSW of Saint Mary, MT at the Logan Pass Visitor's Center.
High wind gusts, measuring 58KT (67MPH), were reported 8 mi SE of East Glacier Park, MT at the Deep Creek RAWS.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, September 2014
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: 539491, 539492.