Montana, 2023

High Wind in Montana, January 26, 2023

January 26, 2023 · NWS BYZ · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A tight west/east surface pressure gradient resulted in high wind gusts across the western portions of the Billings Forecast Area.

Where it happened

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.

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  • Floods
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  • Hail
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  • Cold
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  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 tight west/east surface pressure gradient resulted in high wind gusts across the western portions of the Billings Forecast Area.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Melville Foothills

When
January 26, 6:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Melville Foothills forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
46.140, -109.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted 60 to 65 mph across the area.

High Wind, Northern Sweet Grass

When
January 26, 7:15 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Sweet Grass forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
45.814, -109.941 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted up to 67 mph across the area.

High Wind, Northern Stillwater

When
January 26, 7:45 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Stillwater forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted 55 to 65 mph across the area.

High Wind, Southern Wheatland

When
January 26, 7:45 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Southern Wheatland forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
46.466, -109.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted up to 61 mph across the area.

High Wind, Beartooth Foothills

When
January 26, 8:15 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Beartooth Foothills forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.742, -109.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted 55 to 65 mph across the area.

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

More

Every storm in Montana in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, January 2023

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1069317, 1069318, 1069297, 1069298, 1069320.