High Wind in Montana, January 10 to 11, 2022

Name: High Wind in Montana, January 10 to 11, 2022
Start: 2022-01-10T11:56
End: 2022-01-11T16:30
Location: Montana

January 10 to 11, 2022 · NWS TFX · 12 events in 7 counties and zones

Westerly flow aloft became more established over the Northern Rockies as 50 kt + H700 winds were brought to the surface by diurnal mixing and surface pressure gradients.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

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 TFX wrote it up.

Westerly flow aloft became more established over the Northern Rockies as 50 kt + H700 winds were brought to the surface by diurnal mixing and surface pressure gradients.

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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 10, 10:08 AM MST, 1 hour 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 10, 10:08 AM MST, 1 hour 48 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 10, 8:01 AM MST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

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Event by event

12 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Eastern Glacier

When: January 10, 11:56 AM MST
Where: Eastern Glacier forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

KCTB measured a 53 kt (61 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Eastern Pondera

When: January 10, 2:15 PM MST
Where: Eastern Pondera forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet station near Conrad (6 NW Ledger) measured a 55 kt (63 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Toole

When: January 10, 2:30 PM MST
Where: Toole forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

MDT Sunburst station measured a 56 kt (64 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Liberty

When: January 10, 4:16 PM MST
Where: Liberty forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet station at Chester (14 NNW Joplin) measured a 50 kt (58 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Toole

When: January 10, 4:45 PM MST
Where: Toole forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet station at Kevin measured a 52 kt (60 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Eastern Glacier

When: January 10, 6:11 PM MST
Where: Eastern Glacier forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

KCTB measured a 58 kt (67 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Cascade

When: January 10, 6:45 PM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet Cascade station measured a 56 kt (65 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: January 11, 7:37 AM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

MDT Two Medicine Bridge station measured a 58 kt (67 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: January 11, 10:45 AM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet Dellwo station measured a 66 kt (76 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Liberty

When: January 11, 1:01 PM MST
Where: Liberty forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet station at Chester (14 NNW Joplin) measured a 54 kt (62 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Eastern Pondera

When: January 11, 4:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Pondera forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet station 5 N Ledger measured a 55 kt (63 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

High Wind, Cascade

When: January 11, 4:30 PM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet Cascade station measured a 54 kt (62 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

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 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, January 2022

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1002863, 1002865, 1002867, 1002870, 1002868, 1002869, 1002873, 1002860, 1002872, 1002871, 1002866, 1002874.