A shortwave and associated stronger zonal flow progressing through weak upper level ridging, along with an attendant dry cold front brought gusty winds to North-central Montana Sunday the 21st. The strongest winds were confined to areas along the immediate eastern slopes of the Rockies, with strong gusts extending well out onto the plains (To Liberty county) along the Hi-Line (US-2).
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 TFX wrote it up.
A shortwave and associated stronger zonal flow progressing through weak upper level ridging, along with an attendant dry cold front brought gusty winds to North-central Montana Sunday the 21st. The strongest winds were confined to areas along the immediate eastern slopes of the Rockies, with strong gusts extending well out onto the plains (To Liberty county) along the Hi-Line (US-2).
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 Apr 20, 4:36 PM MST, 17 hours 24 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Mesonset station MTBRN Two Medicine Bridge measured multiple gusts of 58 mph or greater, including a peak gust of 59 mph.
Mesonet station KMTCHOTE33 measured multiple gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 76 mph at 119 PM MDT.
An Ambient weather station on Duck Lake a few miles east of Babb measured a gust of 67 mph.
Mesonet station GW4015 Chester 4 NE measured two gusts of 58 mph or greater, including a peak gust of 63 mph at 259 PM MDT.
ASOS station KCTB Cut Bank Airport measured, over an hour, sustained winds of 41 mph (520 PM MDT - 620 PM MDT). The ASOS also measured a gust of 59 mph at 555 PM MDT.
Mesonet station MTM51 9.1 N Gildford (MT-Meso) measured a 61 mph gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2024
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: 1163556, 1163561, 1163555, 1163559, 1163558, 1166500.