Strong northwest winds aloft mixing to the surface resulted in high wind gusts across portions of south-central and southeast Montana.
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.
Strong northwest winds aloft mixing to the surface resulted in high wind gusts across portions of south-central and southeast Montana.
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 Dec 8, 3:31 AM MST, 14 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
331 AM MST Sun Dec 8 2024
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Strong winds continue across the area today, with gusts of
30-65 mph expected. The strongest winds will occur in the
western gap and foothill areas.
- Cool and wet conditions beginning tonight, lasting through
Monday. Wintry weather forecast in the east, with reductions to
travel conditions and visibilities expected.
- Tuesday through Saturday will be mainly dry and breezy with
generally above normal temperatures.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Today through Monday night...
Multiple concerns in the short term forecast period, including
strong winds, fire weather, and winter precipitation.
Strong winds in the western foothills will continue through the
afternoon. The favorable pressure gradient that was producing wind
gusts into the low 70s mph in Livingston, has decreased and become
west-east oriented. The orientation of the gradient now favors
high winds for Harlowton, Big Timber, Judith Gap, and Melville.
The Wind Advisory for Livingston continues for now, with gusts up
to 60 mph possible. The High Wind Warning is now in effect, with
gusts up to 65 mph expected. The strongest winds in the western
foothills will diminish by 5 PM this evening, dropping below
highlight thresholds.
A surface cold front is currently moving across the forecast
area, bringing increased winds and gusts of 30-50 mph into Monday
morning. Behind the front, there is an increased chance for
precipitation for the Absaroka/Beartooths (30-60%), Bighorns
(15-25%), and the far eastern areas (15-25%). Expect the chance
for precip to decrease through sunrise. With daily highs being
observed early this morning, temperatures will drop into the 30s
by midday, before a brief rebound back into the 40sF this
afternoon. With above normal temperatures, low RHs, and strong
winds, there is an elevated concern for fire weather impacts
today.
This evening, an upper low will drop into the region, bringing
strong NW flow and increased moisture. The chance for
precipitation is moderate to high (50-90%) everywhere but central
Yellowstone County and Stillwater County (10-30% chance),
beginning tonight through Monday. Several inches of snowfall is
expected in the Absaroka/Beartooths, Crazies, and Bighorn
mountains. With strong NW flow, foothill locations such as Red
Lodge will struggle to pickup much snow, with the chance for an
inch less than 10%. Meanwhile, the upper lows progression along
the Canadian border will wraparound moisture into eastern Montana.
The current forecast has 1-4 inches of snowfall Custer, Carter,
Fallon, Powder River, Southern Rosebud, and Southeastern Bighorn
Counties. Locally higher amounts are possible in higher terrain.
The combination of heavy, falling snow and strong winds has led us
to issue Winter Weather Advisories for the aforementioned
counties, beginning at 5 PM today. Reductions in visibility and
travel conditions are possible, so please prepare for wintry
conditions.
It should be noted that while the current forecast calls for
several inches of snowfall in the east, there is uncertainty due
to strong NW flow and frontal ascent working against each other.
Expect the highest chance for precipitation to decrease by Monday
evening, leaving a 15-50% chance in the mountains and areas
south-east of Billings through Monday night. High temperatures
will be in the 30s to around 40F, Monday.
Matos
Tuesday through Sunday...
Overall forecast continues to trend cooler and more unsettled as
amplified pattern breaks down into a more progressive Pacific flow
dominant regime. Increase in Pacific moisture will bring more
cloud cover which will help to cap temperatures (though still well
above normal), along with fairly persistent light snowfall over
the mountains. For the lower elevations the pattern reflects dry
and breezy conditions through the extended, with periods of gusty
to locally strong winds along the western foothills. Wind will
likely be the main weather impact through next weekend. Chambers
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR conditions will prevail across the forecast area for the next
24 hours. A cold front is moving west to east across the forecast
area early this morning. Behind the front expect gusty to locally
strong west to southwest winds to develop through the day Sunday.
The western foothills will see gusts in the 45 to 55kt range from
K3HT to K6S0 to KLVM through the afternoon hours. Across the
plains expect gusts 30 to 42kts at times. Given the general gusty
winds do not have LLWS in the TAFs at this time.
Snow showers are expected mainly late afternoon into tonight for
areas east and south of Billings. Local MVFR conditions in light
snow/blowing snow will be possible, mainly from Rosebud county
east to the Dakotas border. Occasional mountain obscuration can be
expected through mid day, becoming predominant this afternoon
into the evening. Chambers
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Tdy Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 046 030/040 027/041 026/046 031/050 030/045 026/043
0/N 33/S 11/N 00/B 00/B 11/B 10/B
LVM 041 027/036 022/039 025/044 028/047 027/043 023/042
2/S 43/S 10/N 01/N 01/N 11/N 12/S
HDN 049 027/039 024/039 021/044 025/049 026/045 023/043
1/N 66/S 22/S 11/B 01/B 11/B 11/B
MLS 049 025/032 021/029 014/030 017/043 023/041 020/038
1/N 84/S 22/S 11/E 00/B 01/B 00/B
4BQ 048 026/032 023/031 016/036 021/045 026/042 022/039
2/R 67/S 23/S 11/B 00/B 01/B 00/B
BHK 047 020/029 016/026 003/024 011/039 019/038 016/036
2/R 84/S 32/S 11/E 10/B 11/B 00/B
SHR 048 023/035 018/036 019/046 023/052 023/045 021/043
2/R 46/S 32/S 11/B 01/B 11/B 11/B
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 5 PM this afternoon to
noon MST Monday FOR ZONES 31>33-36-37-58-138.
High Wind Warning in effect until 5 PM MST this afternoon FOR
ZONES 63-141-172-228.
Wind Advisory in effect until 5 PM MST this afternoon FOR
ZONES 65-66.
WY...None.
&&
weather.gov/billingsThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds gusted up to 60 mph across the area.
Winds gusted to 59 mph across the area.
Winds gusted to 58 mph across the area.
Winds gusted to 60 mph across the area.
Winds gusted to 60 mph at the Baker Airport.
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, December 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: 1223874, 1223875, 1223877, 1223873, 1223876.