After a few quieter weather days across Central Montana, another upper level trough and attendant jet streak moved across the area. As this upper level trough moved through the area, a strong pressure gradient developed along the Rocky Mountain Front, which helped to promote the development of strong wind gusts across North-Central Montana, especially along the Rocky Mountain Front.
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 TFX wrote it up.
After a few quieter weather days across Central Montana, another upper level trough and attendant jet streak moved across the area. As this upper level trough moved through the area, a strong pressure gradient developed along the Rocky Mountain Front, which helped to promote the development of strong wind gusts across North-Central Montana, especially along the Rocky Mountain Front. Some light snow showers also occurred, but did not cause any widespread issues.
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 24, 11:15 PM MST, 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 1115 PM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 Aviation Section Updated .SYNOPSIS... Windy conditions and slightly below normal temperatures are expected through Friday, with snowfall mostly confined to mountain areas. A colder weather system will move through the region late Friday into Saturday and bring most areas a chance for snow along with a modest shot of colder air. Windy, mild, and drier conditions are then expected to return early next week. && .UPDATE... Shortwave ridging aloft has allowed skies to clear out across the majority of the Great Falls forecast area this evening. This will allow temperatures to drop significantly overnight, especially in the higher valleys of southwest Montana. Have updated the forecast to lower temperatures in the mountains and in the aforementioned high valleys. Slight changes in the overnight lows also affected Helena and West Yellowstone; but, the remainder of the populated forecast points were not changed. No changes were made to winds, PoPs, or QPF/snow amounts. At this time, the existing highlights, including several High Wind Warnings and a Winter Weather Advisory, appear to be on-track with no updates required for these products. mpj && .AVIATION... 1115 PM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 (25/06Z TAF period) Expect increasing clouds (mostly mid/high level) during the overnight and morning hours on Thursday. Surface winds will increase on Thursday morning along the front range of the Rockies and adjacent Plains. Some low level wind shear possible right before surface winds increase. Snow will develop right along the divide by mid morning, with scattered snow showers possible over Southwest MT Thursday afternoon/evening. Mountains/passes could be obscured at times during the afternoon/evening hours. Brusda Refer to weather.gov/zlc for more detailed regional aviation weather and hazard information. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 420 PM MST Wed Feb 24 2021/ Remainder of this afternoon through Saturday night...Clouds along with a few lingering snow showers are expected to continue for the remainder of the afternoon but should clear out this evening as the unsettled northwesterly flow aloft is replaced by a brief period of shortwave ridging. Despite this, southwesterly surface winds will begin to increase late tonight into Thursday in response to a tightening surface pressure gradient and increased H700 flow ahead of the next weather system. The inherited high wind warnings were expanded to include Broadwater and Meagher Counties and the expiration times were extended to 26/06Z. An extended period of near 60 kt H700 flow over much of the region combined with cold air advection associated with the storm system has increased the confidence to make these changes. In fact, future shifts may consider extending the expiration time through Friday morning for at least the southeast portion of the warning area. By late Thursday morning, the shortwave ridge will be displaced by another trough, ushering in mountain snow along the northern divide that will eventually expand to the central and southwest mountains. A winter weather advisory was issued for Northern Rocky Mountain Front for locations above 4500 ft. Snowfall amounts do not appear to be very impressive in the 2 to 6 inch range but gusty westerly winds will make conditions far worse than what would be otherwise expected. There will be some consideration by future shifts to upgrade the advisory to a winter storm warning. Held off on issuing any winter weather products for the central and southwestern mountains due to the shorter and light snow event but they may be considered in the near future if confidence in any impacts increase. By Friday, more northerly flow will bring a cold front through the region and brings a quick shot of modestly cold air and a period of light snow for much of the area. This will likely lead to the issuance of more winter weather advisories. Expect Saturday to be the coldest day with highs mostly in the 20s and lows in the single digits and teens. RCG Sunday through next Wednesday...Sunday, a warming trend begins, and with ridging in place, expect a fair weather day. Monday, temperatures continue to warm, and with a passing trof, a chance of some mountain showers is forecast. It looks like ridging remains the dominant feature through the end of this forecast period. Expect dry weather Tuesday and next Wednesday, with highs ranging from the 40s to 50s. Periods of non- warning criteria gusty winds are forecast from Sunday through the middle of next week. - Fogleman && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 17 38 25 38 / 0 10 10 10 CTB 18 34 24 35 / 0 10 10 10 HLN 10 38 26 37 / 0 10 20 40 BZN -1 32 18 34 / 0 20 20 50 WYS -20 21 6 23 / 20 40 50 80 DLN 1 27 14 30 / 0 20 20 60 HVR 16 38 23 37 / 0 10 10 10 LWT 11 34 20 34 / 0 10 10 20 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 8 AM to 11 PM MST Thursday Broadwater... Cascade...Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Eastern Pondera...Eastern Teton...Judith Basin...Meagher...Toole. High Wind Warning from 2 AM to 11 PM MST Thursday Eastern Glacier...Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM Thursday to 5 AM MST Friday above 4500 feet for Northern Rocky Mountain Front. && http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
6 strong wind, 5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Mesonet station mtbrn two medicine bridge (mt dot) reports wind gust of 69 MPH.
Browning DOT sensor reports wind gust of 60 MPH.
Mesonet station delmt dellwo (mcscn) reports wind gust of 76 MPH.
Mesonet station gsnm8 gleason raws reports wind gust of 56 MPH.
Wind gust of 55 MPH measured at Monarch.
K1AM alpha reports 55 MPH wind gust.
Asos station kctb cut bank airport reports wind gust of 74 MPH.
Mesonet station mtlom loma (mt dot) reports wind gust of 56 MPH.
Mesonet station dw4821, chester reports wind gust of 56 MPH.
Mesonet station ew1937, goldstone reports wind gust of 59 MPH.
Mesonet station mtgys, geyser (mt dot) reports wind gust of 55 MPH.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 2021
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: 935475, 935476, 935481, 935482, 935462, 935463, 935473, 935465, 935480, 935477, 935479.