High Wind in Montana, October 31, 2016

Name: High Wind in Montana, October 31, 2016
Start: 2016-10-31T09:53
End: 2016-10-31T11:51
Location: Montana

October 31, 2016 · NWS BYZ · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A strong Pacific front moved across the state during the morning and afternoon hours of the 31st. Strong pressure rises behind the front resulted in high wind gusts across portions of the Billings Forecast area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

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 Oct 31, 8:38 AM MST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 31, 8:38 AM MST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 30, 2:13 PM MST, 19 hours 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
313 PM MDT SUN OCT 30 2016

MTZ028>042-056>058-063>068-WYZ098-099-302215-
SOUTHERN WHEATLAND-MUSSELSHELL-TREASURE-NORTHERN ROSEBUD-CUSTER-
FALLON-NORTHERN STILLWATER-YELLOWSTONE-POWDER RIVER-CARTER-
SOUTHERN BIG HORN-EASTERN CARBON-NORTHERN PARK-
NORTHERN SWEET GRASS-GOLDEN VALLEY-RED LODGE FOOTHILLS-
NORTHERN BIG HORN-SOUTHERN ROSEBUD-JUDITH GAP-PARADISE VALLEY-
LIVINGSTON AREA-BEARTOOTH FOOTHILLS-ABSAROKA/BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS-
CRAZY MOUNTAINS-NORTHEAST BIGHORN MOUNTAINS-SHERIDAN FOOTHILLS-
313 PM MDT SUN OCT 30 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MONTANA...SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA...SOUTHEAST MONTANA AND NORTH
CENTRAL WYOMING.

GUSTY WINDS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF AREA MOUNTAINS
WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 55 MPH AT TIMES LATE TONIGHT. THESE STRONGER
WINDS WILL MOVE DOWN INTO THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND ACROSS THE
PLAINS MONDAY MORNING...PERSISTING INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS. BE
ALERT FOR SUDDEN STRONG CROSSWINDS THAT WILL MAKE DRIVING
DIFFICULT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 31, 5:16 AM MST, 4 hours 37 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern Wheatland

When: October 31, 9:53 AM MST
Where: Southern Wheatland forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

A wind gust of 69 mph was recorded at the Kilo RAWS site.

High Wind, Northern Sweet Grass

When: October 31, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Northern Sweet Grass forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS

A wind gust of 61 mph was recorded across the Big Timber area.

High Wind, Yellowstone

When: October 31, 11:11 AM MST
Where: Yellowstone forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

A wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at the Billings Airport.

High Wind, Northern Stillwater

When: October 31, 11:51 AM MST
Where: Northern Stillwater forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 58 mph was reported 6 miles east of Columbus.

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, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 659658, 659657, 659660, 659807.