High Wind in Montana, January 27, 2019

Name: High Wind in Montana, January 27, 2019
Start: 2019-01-27T06:15
End: 2019-01-27T19:22
Location: Montana

January 27, 2019 · NWS BYZ · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A very strong jet stream combined with tight surface pressure gradients resulted in high winds across the western half of the Billings Forecast Area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
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Floods
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Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 very strong jet stream combined with tight surface pressure gradients resulted in high winds across the western half of the Billings Forecast Area.

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 Jan 27, 3:56 AM MST, 2 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 27, 3:56 AM MST, 2 hours 19 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 27, 3:30 AM MST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 27, 5:50 AM MST, 25 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

7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern Wheatland

When: January 27, 6:15 AM MST to 10:30 AM MST
Where: Southern Wheatland forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS

Wind gusts of 59 mph were reported across the area.

High Wind, Southern Big Horn

When: January 27, 10:30 AM MST to 1:18 PM MST
Where: Southern Big Horn forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

Wind gusts 58 to 64 mph were reported across the area.

High Wind, Judith Gap

When: January 27, 11:15 AM MST to 3:05 PM MST
Where: Judith Gap forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 46.424, -109.509 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe driving conditions were reported north of Harlowton.

High Wind, Northern Sweet Grass

When: January 27, 11:15 AM MST
Where: Northern Sweet Grass forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS

Wind gusts of 59 mph were reported across the area.

High Wind, Yellowstone

When: January 27, 12:50 PM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Yellowstone forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A wind gust of 63 mph was reported 10 miles east of Molt.

High Wind, Red Lodge Foothills

When: January 27, 1:08 PM MST to 2:15 PM MST
Where: Red Lodge Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.227, -109.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Power outages occurred in the town of Red Lodge and chair lifts were closed at the Red Lodge Ski Area.

High Wind, Fallon

When: January 27, 7:22 PM MST
Where: Fallon forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

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 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, January 2019

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 800262, 800253, 800260, 800261, 800256, 800251, 800257.