A strong jet streak aloft combined with scattered showers and other favorable conditions to pull those stronger winds down to the surface, primarily through the morning of the 4th for many locations across central and eastern Montana.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 GGW wrote it up.
A strong jet streak aloft combined with scattered showers and other favorable conditions to pull those stronger winds down to the surface, primarily through the morning of the 4th for many locations across central and eastern Montana.
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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 4, 3:26 AM MST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 326 AM MST Wed Mar 4 2020 .DISCUSSION... A cold front is expected to push through the region today with a chance for rain and snow showers. Look for northwest winds to ramp up this afternoon and evening with the High Wind Warning remaining on track, especially for terrain favored locations such as the Big Sheeps and Little Rockies. The combination of high winds and low relative humidity will also drive critical fire weather conditions. Tonight into Thursday will feature somewhat cooler, though still milder than average temperatures over the CWA, along with drying conditions. Temperatures will quickly recover on Friday with highs expected to reach the 50s in the north and in the 60s along and south of Highway 2. The next cold front will push through the region late Saturday with a chance for rain and snow, along with markedly colder temperatures by the second half of the weekend. Have kept the forecast in line with consensus for the extended given increasing ensemble spread in the 500mb heights, though early indications point to temperature recoveries next week. Maliawco && .AVIATION... VFR conditions are expected today, though temporary MVFR CIGS/VSYBS could occur as widely scattered rain and snow showers pass through the region with a cold front. Dry conditions will return to all area terminals by 22Z. Look for strong and gusty northwest winds during the afternoon and evening. Maliawco && .FIRE WEATHER... The combination of high winds and relative humidity down to 20 percent this afternoon will result in extreme fire danger for Fire Weather Zones 135, 136, and 137. Winds will diminish tonight with recoveries in humidity expected. This will bring relief to the fire weather concerns. Maliawco && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for Central and Southeast Phillips...Central and Southern Valley...Dawson... Garfield...McCone...Petroleum...Prairie...Southwest Phillips. Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for MTZ135>137. && weather.gov/glasgow
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
At the BLM Zortman E mesonet site (MTM38), a peak wind gust of 61 mph was recorded at 6:30 AM.
At the Malta South US-191 DOT site (MTMAL), a peak wind gust of 71 mph was recorded at 10:30 AM.
At the Zortman RAWS site (ALDM8), a peak wind gust of 65 mph was recorded at 10:32 AM.
At the South Sawmill Creek RASW site (SSMM8), a peak wind gust of 70 mph was recorded at 11:08 AM.
At the Jordan airport ASOS site (KJDN), a peak wind gust of 62 mph was recorded at 11:52 AM.
At the Lufborough Hill MT-200 DOT site (MTLUF), a peak wind gust of 65 mph was recorded at 11:52 AM.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, March 2020
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: 876129, 876132, 876148, 876158, 876163, 876176.