Very tight north/south pressure gradients, combined with a strong jet stream overhead, resulted in powerful wind gusts across the Livingston area and adjacent foothills. The highest wind gust reported was 80 mph at the Livingston airport.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 BYZ wrote it up.
Very tight north/south pressure gradients, combined with a strong jet stream overhead, resulted in powerful wind gusts across the Livingston area and adjacent foothills. The highest wind gust reported was 80 mph at the Livingston airport. Due to multiple semi roll-overs, I-90 west bound between mile markers 330 and 337 was closed for a period of time. The high winds continued through the morning hours of January 1, 2020.
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 Dec 31, 3:05 AM MST, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds gusted 59 to 67 mph across the Big Timber area.
A wind gust of 80 mph was recorded at the Livingston airport.
Winds gusted 58 to 61 mph across the area.
Winds gusted 58 to 60 mph across the area.
Winds gusted 58 to 60 mph across the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2019
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: 864012, 864013, 864009, 864011, 864010.