Tight west/east surface pressure gradients resulted in some high wind gusts across the western portions of the Billings Forecast Area.
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.
Tight west/east surface pressure gradients resulted in some high wind gusts across the western portions of the Billings Forecast Area.
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 Feb 25, 3:15 AM MST, 8 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
315 AM MST Thu Feb 25 2021
.DISCUSSION...
Today and tonight...
Strong surface pressure falls were occuring over southwest
Canada. This was tightening the surface trough along the lee of
the Rockies in Montana. A tightening surface pressure gradient was
leading to increasing winds at Livingston and Big Timber, with
gusts to 50 mph early this morning. Further tightening will
translate into winds continuing to increase this morning into
early afternoon. Slight weakening expected this evening for
Livingston before increasing again overnight, toward Friday
morning. Surface pressure gradient will orientate itself a little
more favorable for locations north of Harlowton by late morning.
This, along with 700mb winds increasing to 55kts, should allow
high winds to develop toward Harlowton and continue into Friday.
Current highlights looks in real good shape.
A broad upper trough will advance into the west tonight. Moisture
and instability, along with ascent from the trough, will lead to
likely snow showers for the higher terrain, with isolated to
scattered snow showers spilling onto the foothills. GFS, and to a
certain extent the ECMWF, was pointing to a band of snow showers
forming just east of Billings tonight (just outside of the
downslope zone). Had placed PoPs there tonight. Increasing
downslope flow should protect areas west of this band from picking
up snow showers. High temperatures today will be a little warmer
in most locations, with downslope warming. TWH
Friday through Thursday...
Gusty winds on Friday, strongest over the western foothills will
gradually decrease into the evening as a shortwave and associated
cold front approach the area. The cold front will bring cooler
temperatures and snow shower chances for Saturday, highest over
the mountains and along the foothills. Several inches of snow are
possible over western aspects of the southwest mountains Friday
through Saturday, with a few inches elsewhere. At the lower
elevations, at this time, snow amounts look to be light. Drier
conditions move into the area for Sunday as high pressure builds
in from the west. High pressure over the area Sunday through much
of the week will promote dry conditions, moderating temperatures,
and periods of gusty winds along the western foothills.
Highs look to range from the 30s and 40s on Friday, dropping into
the 20s and 30s for Saturday behind the cold front. Temperatures
then moderate Sunday through Thursday with highs in the 40s and
50s. Low temperatures look to range from the teens for most places
Friday and Saturday nights, with 20s through the rest of the
extended. STP
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR conditions wil prevail. Southwest winds will increase this
morning from Livingston to Big Timber, with gusts of 50-55kts this
morning. Winds will also increase north of Big Timber, to
Harlowton and Judith Gap, with gusts 45-50kts. Mid level clouds
will increase from west to east this afternoon. Snow showers will
develop over the mountains and cause obscurations. TWH
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Tdy Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 040 025/040 021/032 017/041 025/046 028/044 027/047
0/N 01/N 23/S 10/U 00/U 11/B 10/B
LVM 036 023/033 018/029 016/037 023/043 026/041 024/043
1/N 14/J 33/S 10/N 01/N 11/N 10/U
HDN 042 024/042 021/033 014/043 021/049 025/047 024/050
2/J 21/N 24/S 10/U 00/U 11/B 10/U
MLS 046 026/041 019/030 015/044 024/051 026/047 025/049
0/U 00/N 22/S 10/N 00/U 11/B 00/U
4BQ 044 025/040 021/032 016/043 024/051 026/047 025/050
0/N 01/N 13/S 10/U 00/U 11/B 00/U
BHK 045 024/040 018/029 011/041 021/051 023/046 022/047
0/N 00/N 22/S 10/U 00/U 00/B 00/U
SHR 040 018/037 014/029 009/039 017/048 022/044 019/047
1/U 01/B 15/S 10/U 00/U 11/B 10/U
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...High Wind Warning in effect from 9 AM this morning to 3 PM
MST Friday FOR ZONES 63-141-172-228.
Wind Advisory in effect until noon MST Friday FOR ZONES
65-66.
WY...None.
&&
weather.gov/billingsPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
711 AM MST THU FEB 25 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0653 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 ENE LIVINGSTON 45.70N 110.45W
02/25/2021 M60.00 MPH PARK MT ASOS
&&
VERTZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
851 AM MST THU FEB 25 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0736 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 ENE LIVINGSTON 45.70N 110.45W
02/25/2021 M69.00 MPH PARK MT ASOS
0758 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 ENE LIVINGSTON 45.69N 110.50W
02/25/2021 M57.00 MPH PARK MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
0800 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 WSW LIVINGSTON 45.65N 110.60W
02/25/2021 M55.00 MPH PARK MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
&&
VERTZThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds gusted as high as 61 mph across the area.
Winds gusted to 62 mph across the Big Timber area.
Winds gusted to 58 mph across the area.
Winds gusted to 58 mph across the area.
Winds gusted to 58 mph across the area.
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: 937718, 937719, 937717, 937720, 937714.