High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front
- When
- February 5, 1:19 PM MST
- Where
- North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
High wind gust of 59 mph reported at Two Medicine DOT.
High Wind in Montana, February 5 to 6, 2015
A deep trough of low pressure over the West Coast caused strong and energetic southwest flow aloft to move over Montana. As a series of weather disturbances embedded within this trough pushed through, high winds developed initially to areas along the Rocky Mountain Front, then spread into the north-central plains and portions of southwest Montana.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
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 deep trough of low pressure over the West Coast caused strong and energetic southwest flow aloft to move over Montana. As a series of weather disturbances embedded within this trough pushed through, high winds developed initially to areas along the Rocky Mountain Front, then spread into the north-central plains and portions of southwest Montana. Light rain and snow also occurred over higher terrain.
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 Feb 5, 10:40 AM MST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 5, 10:40 AM MST, 2 hours 39 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1040 AM MST Thu Feb 5 2015 .UPDATE...Am not very confident with regard to precipitation in my northeast zones today. While current radar is showing echoes in this area, so far we have not had any reports of precipitation. However, morning model runs continue to indicate that a band of light precipitation will develop by late morning or early afternoon. Models also continue to support freezing rain so have opted to continue the Freezing Rain Advisory until the afternoon package issuance. I have made some tweaks to locations for freezing rain based on the top-down method and using the latest model runs. Have also made minor tweaks to pops, mainly in central Montana where I have removed slight chance wording for this afternoon in the areas most affected by downslope winds. Am also not confident about whether or not warm air will push out the freezing area in the northeast, but at this time I have not made any changes to forecast high temperatures. mpj && .AVIATION... UPDATED 1740Z. Rain/snow/freezing rain will affect northcentral Montana this afternoon. A brief period of MVFR ceilings is possible in the precipitation while a brief period of MVFR visibilities is possible with snow. This precipitation will move out of the area early this evening. The mountains of the Rocky Mountain Front will generally be obscured in snow from this afternoon through Friday morning. Otherwise expect VFR conditions. West winds 30 to 40 kts with gusts to 50 kts will affect the Rocky Mountain Front tonight through Friday morning. Blank && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 446 AM MST Thu Feb 5 2015/ Today through Saturday...A Pacific warm front continues to slowly push northward through the region this morning. The cold air continues to be very slow it exit the Havre area. Thus with precipitation moving into the region...and warmer air aloft...there will be the potential for freezing rain until mid afternoon. Thus a freezing rain advisory has been issued for this region. Temperatures are mild elsewhere this morning...with scattered light showers...mainly over the Rocky Mountain Front. Expect a chance for showers mainly over the western portions of the region for the next few days. Additionally...winds will be on the increase...thus the high wind warning looks good for the Rocky Mountain Front. A high wind watch has been added for the Cut Bank/Shelby areas...mainly for Friday evening when there is the potential for strong winds. Temperatures will remain mild across the entire region through the period. Record highs are possible in a few areas Fri/Sat. Brusda Saturday night through Thursday...High pressure will build aloft Sunday and the warm temperatures of the past few days, well above seasonal averages, will continue for another day. A low pressure trof will move over the West Coast Monday and moisture ahead of this system will begin to move into Southwest Montana and across the Rockies. This will cool the airmass and temperatures will moderate...trending closer to seasonal normals. The trof will move through the Pacific Northwest Monday night and over the Rockies Tuesday. An associated cold front will cross the Canadian border early Tuesday and move south during the day. This will not be an especially moist system and precipitation accumulations will remain on the low side. The trof will have moved east of the region by Wednesday and high pressure aloft will build again. The airmass will warm and dry, and temps will trend upwards above seasonal normals through Thursday. Zelzer && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 51 41 59 42 / 20 10 10 10 CTB 43 34 52 40 / 20 10 10 20 HLN 51 34 55 36 / 30 10 10 40 BZN 49 32 54 36 / 10 10 10 40 WEY 39 30 41 33 / 20 10 20 60 DLN 54 38 57 40 / 10 30 10 50 HVR 38 31 50 37 / 90 20 10 10 LWT 48 35 55 37 / 50 10 10 10 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING from 5 PM this afternoon to 5 PM MST Saturday Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY until 3 PM MST this afternoon Blaine... Chouteau...Hill...Liberty. HIGH WIND WATCH from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning Eastern Glacier...Toole. && weather.gov/greatfalls www.twitter.com/NWSGreatFalls www.facebook.com/NWSGreatFalls
Event by event
10 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front
- When
- February 5, 1:22 PM MST
- Where
- Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
High wind gust of 66 mph reported at 24 WSW Choteau.
High Wind, Toole
- When
- February 5, 3:31 PM MST
- Where
- Toole forecast zone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
High wind gust of 66 mph reported at 8 WNW Whitlash.
High Wind, Eastern Pondera
- When
- February 6, 6:07 AM MST
- Where
- Eastern Pondera forecast zone
- Measured
- 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
High wind gust of 68 mph measured at 4 miles W Valier.
High Wind, Madison
- When
- February 6, 6:07 AM MST to 7:07 AM MST
- Where
- Madison forecast zone
- Measured
- 36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Norris Hill DOT measured a 1-hour sustained wind of 42 mph.
High Wind, Cascade
- When
- February 6, 10:57 AM MST
- Where
- Cascade forecast zone
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
A trained spotter estimated a 60 mph wind gust 4 miles south of Cascade.
High Wind, Southern Lewis and Clark
- When
- February 6, 11:21 AM MST
- Where
- Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Bowmans Corner DOT measures 59 mph wind gust 17 miles SW of Simms.
High Wind, Eastern Teton
- When
- February 6, 1:08 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern Teton forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Public
We received a public report of a 72 mph wind gust 7 miles NE Fairfield.
High Wind, Judith Basin
- When
- February 6, 8:11 PM MST
- Where
- Judith Basin forecast zone
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Geyser DOT measured a 58 mph wind gust 2 miles SSE Geyser.
High Wind, Eastern Glacier
- When
- February 6, 10:03 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern Glacier forecast zone
- Measured
- 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
Cut Bank ASOS measures 76 mph wind gust 3 miles SW Cut Bank.
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
- Cold in Pennsylvania, February 5 to 6, 2015
- Flood and High Wind in California, February 5 to 9, 2015
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, February 5 to 7, 2015
- High Wind in Wyoming, February 5 to 7, 2015
- High Wind in Wyoming, February 5 to 7, 2015
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Florida, February 5, 2015
- Damaging Winds in Florida, February 5, 2015
- Cold in New York, February 5 to 6, 2015
- High Surf in Hawaii, February 5 to 8, 2015
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Massachusetts, February 5, 2015
- High Wind in Montana, February 5 to 7, 2015
- High Wind in Oregon, February 5 to 6, 2015
More
Every storm in Montana in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 2015
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: 562386, 562388, 562390, 562406, 562421, 562408, 562409, 562410, 562414, 562430.