Montana, 2024

High Wind in Montana, February 28 to 29, 2024

February 28 to 29, 2024 · NWS TFX · 17 events in 11 counties and zones

Southwesterly flow on the order of 50-60kts at 700 mb was mixed to the surface across much of Southwest Montana into portions of North-central Montana on the 29th and into the 1st of March. Additionally, a Pacific cold front ended up mixing strong winds gusts to the surface on the afternoon of the 29th across portions of the plains where strong synoptic wind gusts were not forecast.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
17

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.

Southwesterly flow on the order of 50-60kts at 700 mb was mixed to the surface across much of Southwest Montana into portions of North-central Montana on the 29th and into the 1st of March. Additionally, a Pacific cold front ended up mixing strong winds gusts to the surface on the afternoon of the 29th across portions of the plains where strong synoptic wind gusts were not forecast. Only one gust of high wind criteria was measured on March 1.

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 Feb 27, 2:58 PM MST, 10 hours 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 27, 2:58 PM MST, 10 hours 31 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern High Plains

When
February 28, 1:29 AM MST to February 29, 3:29 AM MST
Where
Southern High Plains forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
47.480, -112.315 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS station TR726 L-C Portable No. 1 measured a 65 mph gust.

High Wind, Judith Basin County and Judith Gap

When
February 28, 7:45 AM MST to 9:00 AM MST
Where
Judith Basin County and Judith Gap forecast zone
Measured
36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.155, -109.745 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station MTGYS Geyser measured sustained winds averaging 41 mph over 75 minutes.

High Wind, Judith Basin County and Judith Gap

When
February 28, 7:53 AM MST to 8:55 AM MST
Where
Judith Basin County and Judith Gap forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.155, -109.745 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ambient Weather Station west of Geyser (Red Barn) Measured two gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 64 mph.

High Wind, Madison River Valley

When
February 28, 8:30 AM MST to February 29, 5:45 AM MST
Where
Madison River Valley forecast zone
Measured
36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
45.301, -111.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station MTNOR Norris Hill measured three instances of high sustained winds averaging 40 mph or more over at least an hour. The first instance was between 830 AM and 930 AM MST 2/28, the second was between 1230 PM and 130 PM MST 2/28, and the third being between 1230AM and 545 AM MST 2/29. The peak average sustained wind was 41 mph.

High Wind, Northern High Plains

When
February 28, 5:30 PM MST to 7:15 PM MST
Where
Northern High Plains forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.467, -112.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station MTBRN Two Medicine Bridge measured two gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 65 mph.

High Wind, Northern High Plains

When
February 28, 5:45 PM MST to February 29, 6:15 PM MST
Where
Northern High Plains forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.467, -112.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station MTBWG Browning measured two gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 67 mph.

High Wind, Southern High Plains

When
February 29, 1:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Southern High Plains forecast zone
Measured
66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.480, -112.315 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station DELMT Dellwo measured multiple gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 76 mph.

High Wind, Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera

When
February 29, 4:31 AM MST
Where
Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.529, -112.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ambient Weather Sensor at LJ Johnson Farms near the Canadian border measured a 75 mph gust.

High Wind, Madison River Valley

When
February 29, 1:00 PM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where
Madison River Valley forecast zone
Measured
36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.301, -111.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

AWOS station KEKS Ennis Airport measured sustained winds, averaged over an hour, of 42 mph.

High Wind, Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera

When
February 29, 1:33 PM MST
Where
Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
48.529, -112.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

ASOS station KCTB Cut Bank Airport measured a 58 mph gust.

High Wind, Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains

When
February 29, 1:54 PM MST to 2:54 PM MST
Where
Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
46.241, -111.794 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS station EKHM8 Elkhorn measured two gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 65 mph.

High Wind, Cascade County Below 5000ft

When
February 29, 3:15 PM MST
Where
Cascade County Below 5000ft forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.308, -111.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station MTM76 Cascade E MDA measured a 61 mph gust.

High Wind, Eastern Pondera and Eastern Teton

When
February 29, 7:45 PM MST
Where
Eastern Pondera and Eastern Teton forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.033, -112.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station MTM73 Ledger N MDA measured a 58 mph gust.

High Wind, Judith Basin County and Judith Gap

When
February 29, 8:09 PM MST
Where
Judith Basin County and Judith Gap forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
47.155, -109.745 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

AWOS station K1CM Charlie measured a 60 mph gust.

High Wind, Hill County

When
February 29, 9:12 PM MST
Where
Hill County forecast zone
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
48.628, -110.111 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

ASOS station KHVR Havre Airport measured a 59 mph gust.

High Wind, Fergus County Below 4500ft

When
February 29, 9:28 PM MST
Where
Fergus County Below 4500ft forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
47.264, -109.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

ASOS station KLWT Lewistown Airport measured a 58 mph gust.

High Wind, Ruby Mountains and Southern Beaverhead Mountains

When
February 29, 10:05 PM MST
Where
Ruby Mountains and Southern Beaverhead Mountains forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
45.217, -112.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS station HRKM8 Harkness measured a 62 mph 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

More

Every storm in Montana in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 2024

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: 1156428, 1156436, 1156435, 1156437, 1156434, 1156425, 1156429, 1156426, 1156438, 1156427, 1156440, 1156430, 1156443, 1156431, 1156441, 1156444, 1156439.