Wildfire and High Wind in Montana, March 28 to 31, 2015

Name: Wildfire and High Wind in Montana, March 28 to 31, 2015
Start: 2015-03-28T10:45
End: 2015-03-31T23:00
Location: Montana

March 28 to 31, 2015 · NWS BYZ · 19 events in 17 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 2
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 19

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 BYZ wrote it up.

A strong upper level disturbance and associated cold front moved rapidly across the Northern Rockies on Saturday March 28th. The system produced widespread severe wind, with peak wind gusts ranging from 60 to 70 mph, along with critical fire weather conditions. The severe winds hit at the prime time of the day when temperatures were at record levels and humidities were in the teens. As a result, several wildfires occurred during the afternoon and early evening. The event was preceded by a late winter and early spring of below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures which set up unseasonably dry and dead fuel conditions. The high winds resulted in numerous power outages along with minor home/roof and tree damage.

Two wildfires that resulted in the greatest impacts were located near Red Lodge Mountain, as well as the Pinecrest Subdivision located between Park City and Columbus, Montana. The Pinecrest Wildfire (near Park City, Montana) burned 3000 acres. Two homes were lost and one firefighter was injured (minor). In addition, Interstate 90 between Park City, MT and Columbus MT (20 miles) was closed for several hours due to low visibilities due to smoke. However, before the interstate closed, a multi-vehicle accident occurred, resulting in 1 fatality and several other injuries.

The Red Lodge Wildfire, which started shortly after 12 pm, charred about 600 acres and threatened homes near Red Lodge as skiers were escorted off the mountain. The fire started when high winds fanned a hot spot from a controlled burn in the Land Estates Subdivision from the previous Wednesday. Fire officials closed Ski Run Road while they battled the blaze, which jumped West Fork Road. No one was allowed to enter or leave Red Lodge Mountain. Around 3 pm, skiers in their vehicles were escorted off the mountain by Carbon County officials.

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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 28, 7:44 AM MST, 3 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 28, 7:44 AM MST, 3 hours 1 minute before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
844 AM MDT SAT MAR 28 2015

.UPDATE...
NO UPDATES THIS MORNING. FRONTAL PUSH STILL LOOKS ON TARGET FOR
AROUND 18-19Z AT LIVINGSTON...AND AROUND 20-21Z AT BILLINGS
ACCORDING TO ALL THE MOST RECENT DATA. CURRENT FORECAST HAS THIS
COVERED JUST FINE. BT

&&

.SHORT TERM...VALID FOR TDY AND SUN...

OUR ACTIVE DAY STILL ON TRACK ACROSS THE REGION WITH HIGH
WINDS AND FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS AS MODELS COME INTO GOOD AGREEMENT.

VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE ENERGY AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL RACE
FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS
EVENING. THE FRONT SHOULD BE ENTERING OUR WESTERN AREAS FROM
HARLOWTON TO LIVINGSTON AROUND NOON...THEN RAPIDLY PUSH
EAST...CLEARING SOUTHEAST MT EARLY THIS EVENING. THERE ARE A
COUPLE CONCERNS THAT ENHANCE OUR RISK FOR WIDESPREAD HIGH WINDS
ACROSS THE AREA. MID LEVEL WINDS ENHANCE SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE
SHORT WAVE PASSAGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON. SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE
TROUGH SHOULD AID IN BRINGING SOME OF THESE WINDS TO THE SURFACE.
ALSO...WEAK INSTABILITY FORECAST ACROSS SOUTHEAST MONTANA WILL
AID IN A LINE OF SHOWERS(ISOLATED LIGHTNING STRIKES)DEVELOPING
ALONG THE FRONT. THESE SHOWERS SHOULD EFFECTIVELY MIX >50KT WINDS
A FEW THOUSAND FEET OFF SURFACE TO GROUND. SO...BELIEVE THE RISK
IS THERE FOR A MORE WIDESPREAD WIND EVENT. THUS AN UPGRADE TO
CURRENT WATCH WILL TAKE AFFECT BUT HAVE ALSO EXPANDED THE WARNING
INTO SOUTHEAST MONTANA AS WELL. THESE HIGH WINDS ADVERTISED TO
LAST WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ACROSS SOUTHEAST MONTANA. THE
RED FLAG WARNING IS ALSO STILL ON TRACK. SOME WESTERN AREAS MAY
NOT SEE FULL CRITERIA REACHED FOR RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WITH EARLIER
FRONTAL PASSAGE..BUT GIVEN EXTREME WIND EVENT AND FUEL STATUS...
WARNING STILL WARRANTED. CENTRAL AND EAST AREAS UNDER THE GUN FOR
THE GREATEST FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WITH NEAR RECORD WARMTH AND
GOOD MIXING AHEAD OF FRONT.

SUNDAY WILL BE QUIET BEHIND THIS SYSTEM WITH LIGHTER WINDS AND
COOLER TEMPERATURES. ALTHOUGH...THE COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL STILL
BE ABOUT 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. FRIEDERS

.LONG TERM...VALID FOR MON...TUE...WED...THU...FRI...

FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE
RIDGE BUILDING IN AND CONTINUED WARMER TEMPERATURES. HIGHS WILL
AGAIN BE IN THE LOW TO MID 70S. TUESDAY AFTERNOON ANOTHER FRONT
WILL MOVE THROUGH AS A LOW MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA. WINDS
CONTINUE TO LOOK STRONG BEHIND THE FRONT...THOUGH THE PRESSURE
RISES ARE NOT QUIET AS STRONG AS PREVIOUS RUNS. MODELS CONTINUE TO
PRODUCE SOME QPF WITH THE FRONT ALTHOUGH NOTHING IMPRESSIVE. RAIN
CHANCES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK AS THE AREA REMAINS
IN ZONAL TO NORTHWEST FLOW. THE GFS IS MORE ZONAL IN ITS SOLUTION
FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK AND IS NOT AS WIDE SPREAD WITH THE
PRECIP ON FRIDAY AS THE RUNS YESTERDAY. THE EC IS MUCH MORE
AMPLIFIED WITH A RIDGE OVER THE WEST COAST...KEEPING MONTANA IN
NORTHWESTERLY FLOW...WITH MORE PRECIP FOR FRIDAY. GIVEN THE CHANGE
IN THE PATTERN...HAVE OPTED FOR MORE OF THE CONSALL SOLUTION FOR
TEMPERATURES TO AVOID ANY BIASES. THUS LOWERED TEMPERATURES
SLIGHTLY. POPS REMAIN SIMILAR...THROUGH DID SLIGHTLY REDUCED
POPS ON FRIDAY GIVEN THE INCREASED UNCERTAINTY IN THE MODELS.
REIMER
&&

.AVIATION...

EXPECT VFR CONDITION TO PREVAIL FOR SATURDAY. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO
INCREASE MID MORNING...BEFORE A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE
AREA. SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE FRONT...WHICH
WILL BE THROUGH BILLINGS BY EARLY AFTERNOON AND THROUGH MILES
CITY AND SHERIDAN BY LATE AFTERNOON. BEHIND THE FRONT...STRONG NORTHWEST
WINDS UP TO 40 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH GUSTS 50 TO 60
KNOTS...MAINLY FROM HARLOWTON AND BIG TIMBER EAST OUT INTO THE
PLAINS. AREAS OF MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. REIMER

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...

    TDY SUN     MON     TUE     WED     THU     FRI
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 073 040/066 042/071 046/072 041/055 033/050 030/053
    2/W 10/B    00/B    02/W    32/W    22/W    22/W
LVM 065 035/063 039/068 042/068 035/048 026/046 024/049
    3/W 10/B    00/U    02/W    43/W    23/W    32/W
HDN 078 037/068 037/072 040/076 040/057 032/052 029/054
    2/W 10/B    00/B    02/W    32/W    23/W    22/W
MLS 077 037/066 039/069 042/076 042/057 033/050 030/053
    3/T 30/U    00/B    01/B    22/W    12/W    22/W
4BQ 079 036/066 037/070 040/077 040/056 032/050 028/052
    3/T 40/U    00/B    01/B    22/W    22/W    22/W
BHK 077 035/061 035/066 038/074 040/054 030/047 026/049
    3/T 40/U    00/B    01/B    22/W    12/W    22/W
SHR 079 036/063 035/068 039/075 036/051 028/048 026/050
    2/T 20/B    00/U    02/W    22/W    23/W    22/W

&&

.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS
      EVENING BELOW 7000 FEET FOR ZONES 28>42-56>58-63>68.
     HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
      TONIGHT FOR ZONES 28>30-34-35-38-41-42-57-63.
     HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 3 AM
      MDT SUNDAY FOR ZONES 31>33-36-37-58.
WY...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS
      EVENING BELOW 7000 FEET FOR ZONES 98-99.
     HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
      TONIGHT FOR ZONE 99.

&&

WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 high wind, 2 wildfire, 1 dense smoke. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern Wheatland

When: March 28, 10:45 AM MST to 3:30 PM MST
Where: Southern Wheatland forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS

Wind gusts of 58-60 mph were recorded across the area.

Wildfire, Red Lodge Foothills

When: March 28, 11:00 AM MST to March 31, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Red Lodge Foothills forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 45.227, -109.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The West Fork Wildfire near Red Lodge, which started shortly after 12 pm, charred about 600 acres and threatened homes near Red Lodge as skiers were escorted off the mountain. The fire started when high winds fanned a hot spot from a controlled burn in the Land Estates Subdivision from the previous Wednesday. Fire officials closed Ski Run Road while they battled the blaze, which jumped West Fork Road. No one was allowed to enter or leave Red Lodge Mountain. Around 3 pm, skiers in their vehicles were escorted off the mountain by Carbon County officials.

High Wind, Northern Stillwater

When: March 28, 11:41 AM MST to 6:16 PM MST
Where: Northern Stillwater forecast zone
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous gusts of 60 to 70 mph with a peak gust of 74 mph were reported across the area.

High Wind, Musselshell

When: March 28, 12:45 PM MST to 9:45 PM MST
Where: Musselshell forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 46.497, -108.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts of 58-61 mph were recorded across the area.

High Wind, Golden Valley

When: March 28, 1:00 PM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: Golden Valley forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 46.381, -109.175 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Sweet Grass

When: March 28, 1:00 PM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Sweet Grass forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

A gust of 58 mph was recorded in Melville and sustained winds of 40 mph were recorded in Reed Point.

Wildfire, Northern Stillwater

When: March 28, 1:00 PM MST to March 30, 1:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Stillwater forecast zone
Deaths: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Pinecrest Wildfire, 4 miles northeast of Columbus, Montana burned 3000 acres. Two homes were lost and one firefighter was injured (minor). In addition, Interstate 90 between Park City, MT and Columbus MT (20 miles) was closed for several hours due to low visibilities due to smoke from the wildfire. However, before the interstate closed, a multi-vehicle accident occurred, resulting in 1 fatality and several other injuries.

High Wind, Northern Rosebud

When: March 28, 1:07 PM MST to 3:02 PM MST
Where: Northern Rosebud forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 65 mph was recorded in Ingomar and a 71 mph gust was recorded in Rock Springs.

High Wind, Yellowstone

When: March 28, 1:19 PM MST to 4:45 PM MST
Where: Yellowstone forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

Wind gusts of 66 to 73 mph were recorded at the Billings Airport.

High Wind, Northern Big Horn

When: March 28, 1:30 PM MST
Where: Northern Big Horn forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A gust of 58 mph was recorded at the Arrow Creek DOT site.

Dense Smoke, Northern Stillwater

When: March 28, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Stillwater forecast zone
Deaths: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A multi-vehicle crash occurred on Interstate 90. A woman from Park City, Montana was killed after blowing smoke mixed with dirt/dust created zero visibility. The crash involved five vehicles and injured several people around 3 pm. According to the Montana Highway Patrol , speed and low visibility played a significant role in the crash. The crash occurred in the westbound lane near mile marker 432. A 67-year-old woman who died was a passenger in a Ford Edge pickup. Billings dispatch said the woman was dead on arrival.

High Wind, Southern Rosebud

When: March 28, 2:22 PM MST
Where: Southern Rosebud forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 69 mph was recorded at the Lame Deer Divide.

High Wind, Custer

When: March 28, 2:26 PM MST to 9:53 PM MST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 46.253, -105.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts of 60 to 68 mph were recorded across the area.

High Wind, Southern Big Horn

When: March 28, 3:00 PM MST to March 29, 12:00 AM MST
Where: Southern Big Horn forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

High Wind, Powder River

When: March 28, 3:05 PM MST to 4:45 PM MST
Where: Powder River forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Fallon

When: March 28, 3:48 PM MST
Where: Fallon forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A gust of 59 mph was recorded at the Baker airport.

High Wind, Carter

When: March 28, 4:08 PM MST to 5:28 PM MST
Where: Carter forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.517, -104.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts to 68 mph were reported.

High Wind, Judith Gap

When: March 28, 4:39 PM MST to 4:51 PM MST
Where: Judith Gap forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 46.424, -109.509 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts to 53 mph were recorded in Judith Gap.

High Wind, Treasure

When: March 28, 5:30 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Treasure forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 46.212, -107.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Wildfire, Northern Stillwater	2015-03-28	67	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Indirect
Dense Smoke, Northern Stillwater	2015-03-28			Unknown	Indirect

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
Dense Smoke: Smoke reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, March 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: 560822, 566206, 560819, 560821, 560815, 560816, 566205, 560811, 560818, 560814, 566007, 560701, 560810, 560817, 560808, 560809, 560703, 560813, 560820.