High Wind in Montana, February 5 to 6, 2016

Name: High Wind in Montana, February 5 to 6, 2016
Start: 2016-02-05T21:00
End: 2016-02-06T20:21
Location: Montana

February 5 to 6, 2016 · NWS TFX · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

A vigorous short wave trough and associated surface cold front moved rapidly across North Central Montana during early morning on the 6th. The tight surface pressure gradient, combined with strong subsidence behind the front, resulted in strong winds across North Central and portions of southwest Montana.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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.

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, 4:30 PM MST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 5, 4:30 PM MST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
430 PM MST FRI FEB 5 2016

AVIATION SECTION UPDATED

.DISCUSSION...

TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...UPPER RIDGE OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON
WILL GET FLATTENED A BIT AND PUSHED TO THE EAST AS A FAST MOVING
SHORT WAVE APPROACHES WESTERN MONTANA TONIGHT. SURFACE PRESSURE
WILL CONTINUE TO FALL TONIGHT EAST OF THE CANADIAN AND MONTANA
ROCKIES AND WINDS WILL INCREASE. AS THE SHORT WAVE RAPIDLY MOVES
ACROSS THE AREA, AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
AREA AS WELL. STRONG SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL
ALSO LEAD TO STRONG GUSTS AS COLD ADVECTION ALLOWS FOR GOOD MIXING
OF THE WINDS ALOFT DOWN TO THE SURFACE. THE STRONG WINDS WILL
SPREAD FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT TONIGHT EASTWARD ACROSS THE
PLAINS THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. THE HIGH WIND WATCH HAS BEEN
REPLACED BY A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE PLAINS VALID FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT THROUGH 5 PM SATURDAY. WINDS SHOULD GRADUALLY DECREASE
DURING THE AFTERNOON SATURDAY. NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE AREA
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WILL ALLOW FOR LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS,
MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD BACK IN
OVER THE AREA SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR DRIER CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES
WILL CONTINUE SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES THROUGH THE
WEEKEND.

SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...A FAIRLY QUIET WEATHER PATTERN IS
EXPECTED OVER THE REGION TO BEGIN THE PERIOD. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE
OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FROM SUNDAY
NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR DRY CONDITIONS
TO PREVAIL OVER THE REGION...ALONG WITH SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR SPRING
LIKE TEMPERATURES. AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL LIKELY BE IN THE 50S OVER
NORTH CENTRAL MT FROM MON THRU THU (WITH A FEW AREAS NEAR 60 DEGREES
ON TUE)...WITH 40S COMMON IN SOUTHWEST MT. ON THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN...RESULTING
IN A CHANCE FOR A PASSING RAIN/SNOW SHOWER OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN
FRONT AND THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE REGION. ON FRIDAY...THE GFS/EC
BOTH HAVE AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING INTO THE REGION...BUT
THE TIMING/STRENGTH IS QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT...THUS I LEANED MORE
TOWARDS CLIMO POPS AND SLIGHTLY COOLER (BUT STILL ABOVE NORMAL)
TEMPERATURES FOR NEXT FRIDAY. BRUSDA

&&

.AVIATION...UPDATED 2328Z.

STRONG WEST WINDS ALOFT WILL STRENGTHEN FURTHER AS A SHORTWAVE
APPROACHES THE ROCKIES. STRONG WINDS OF 40-50 MPH WITH GUST GREATER
THAN 70 MPH ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE LEE SLOPES OF THE ROCKIES THIS
EVENING. THESE WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN AND SPREAD EAST AND SOUTH
ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA BY MIDNIGHT. WINDS WILL
REMAIN STRONG THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. VFR CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  36  45  26  42 /   0  10  10   0
CTB  36  42  25  41 /   0  10  10   0
HLN  28  40  22  39 /  10  20  10   0
BZN  19  37  15  34 /   0  20  10   0
WEY  18  27  10  28 /  40  50  30  10
DLN  24  35  16  35 /   0  30  10   0
HVR  33  47  25  42 /   0  20  10   0
LWT  30  39  21  35 /   0  20  20   0

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY
FOR MTZ011>015-044>047-049>055.

HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR MTZ009-010-048.

&&

WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 5, 3:55 PM MST, 5 hours 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
355 PM MST FRI FEB 05 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0306 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ENE EAST GLACIER PARK 48.45N 113.19W
02/05/2016  M61 MPH          GLACIER            MT   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

&&

CZ

Local storm report, Feb 5, 4:20 PM MST, 4 hours 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
420 PM MST FRI FEB 05 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0356 PM     HIGH SUST WINDS  3 SW CUT BANK           48.61N 112.38W
02/05/2016  M40 MPH          GLACIER            MT   ASOS

            SUSTAINED WINDS 39-40 MPH 256 TO 356 PM

&&

CZ

Local storm report, Feb 5, 8:44 PM MST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
844 PM MST FRI FEB 5 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0805 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST HEART BUTTE             48.29N 112.84W
02/05/2016  M62 MPH          PONDERA            MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION HEART BUTTE /HRTM8/

&&

NWS GREAT FALLS MT
IRIS SYSTEM

Local storm report, Feb 5, 8:50 PM MST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
850 PM MST FRI FEB 05 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0821 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST BROWNING                48.56N 113.01W
02/05/2016  M61 MPH          GLACIER            MT   MESONET

            61 MPH WIND GUST AT BROWNING RAWS.

&&

HOENISCH

Local storm report, Feb 5, 9:00 PM MST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
900 PM MST FRI FEB 5 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0521 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 8 SE EAST GLACIER PARK  48.36N 113.11W
02/05/2016  M83 MPH          GLACIER            MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION DEEP CREEK RAWS ( 8 SE EAST
            GLACIER PARK) /DCRM8/

&&

NWS GREAT FALLS MT
IRIS SYSTEM

Event by event

18 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: February 5, 9:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 67 mph was reported at Bynum 13W (the Dellwo MCSCN site).

High Wind, Toole

When: February 6, 5:22 AM MST
Where: Toole forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

A wind gust to 61 mph was reported at Sunburst 5NNW.

High Wind, Gallatin

When: February 6, 9:15 AM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 75 mph was reported at Bozeman 3SE (the Sourdough Ranch site). Also, a gust to 61 mph was reported at Bozeman 10ESE.

High Wind, Blaine

When: February 6, 9:18 AM MST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 60 mph was reported at Fort Belknap 13S.

High Wind, Eastern Glacier

When: February 6, 9:56 AM MST
Where: Eastern Glacier forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

A wind gust to 62 mph was reported at Cut Bank 3SW (the Cut Bank ASOS site).

High Wind, Meagher

When: February 6, 9:57 AM MST
Where: Meagher forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 58 mph was reported at Ringling 13WSW.

High Wind, Broadwater

When: February 6, 9:57 AM MST
Where: Broadwater forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 58 mph was reported at Ringling 13WSW.

High Wind, Eastern Pondera

When: February 6, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Eastern Pondera forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 58 mph was reported at Valier.

High Wind, Fergus

When: February 6, 10:46 AM MST
Where: Fergus forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS

A wind gust to 60 mph was reported at Lewistown 2WSW (the Lewistown ASOS site). Also, a gust to 74 mph was reported at Roy 1E, a gust to 67 mph at Denton 7NE, and gusts to 66 mph at Denton 5ESE and at Winifred 8SW.

High Wind, Hill

When: February 6, 10:49 AM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

A wind gust to 64 mph was reported at Havre 4W (the Havre ASOS site). Also, a gust to 71 mph was reported at Rudyard 20N.

High Wind, Southern Lewis and Clark

When: February 6, 10:58 AM MST
Where: Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

A wind gust to 66 mph was reported at Wolf Creek 8SSW.

High Wind, Liberty

When: February 6, 11:50 AM MST
Where: Liberty forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 65 mph was reported at Joplin 3SW.

High Wind, Eastern Teton

When: February 6, 11:51 AM MST
Where: Eastern Teton forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

A wind gust to 69 mph was reported at Pendroy 2NW and a gust to 62 mph at Fairfield 15W.

High Wind, Cascade

When: February 6, 11:58 AM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

A wind gust to 60 mph was reported at Malmstrom AFB. Also, a gust to 64 mph was reported at Highwood 6SW and a gust to 61 mph was reported at Ulm 8S.

High Wind, Chouteau

When: February 6, 12:07 PM MST
Where: Chouteau forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

A wind gust to 63 mph was reported at Loma 1N.

High Wind, Judith Basin

When: February 6, 12:58 PM MST
Where: Judith Basin forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 67 mph was reported at Stanford 5SE. Also, a gust to 62 mph was reported at Geyser 7E and a gust to 58 mph at Geyser 2SSE.

High Wind, Madison

When: February 6, 1:00 PM MST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 72 mph was reported at Big Sky 6W.

High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: February 6, 8:21 PM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust to 61 mph was reported at the Browning RAWS site. Additionally, a wind gust to 71 mph was reported at East Glacier Park 1ENE (the Two Medicine Bridge DOT site), and a gust to 69 mph was reported at the Heart Butte RAWS site.

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

Every storm in Montana in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, February 2016

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: 610412, 610415, 610427, 610418, 610465, 610426, 610464, 610419, 610424, 610417, 610425, 610416, 610420, 610422, 610421, 610423, 610428, 610410.