High Wind in Montana, September 18, 2024

Name: High Wind in Montana, September 18, 2024
Start: 2024-09-18T04:47
End: 2024-09-18T13:00
Location: Montana

September 18, 2024 · NWS BYZ · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A strong cold front swept across the Billings Forecast Area. Strong pressure rises behind the front resulted in some high wind gusts for a few locations.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 strong cold front swept across the Billings Forecast Area. Strong pressure rises behind the front resulted in some high wind gusts for a few locations.

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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 18, 2:26 AM MST, 2 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 18, 2:26 AM MST, 2 hours 21 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
326 AM MDT Wed Sep 18 2024

.DISCUSSION...

Today through Thursday night...

Earlier this evening a wave pushed through southeast MT bringing
light precipitation and strong surface winds brought down from the
low levels. Currently, the upper level low is over south- central
MT and north- central WY bringing dry slotting to the east, while
the central and western zones are receiving light to moderate
rainfall. As this low slowly lifts north and east, CAMs have
precipitation spreading east through the day and letting up into
the overnight hours. Areas that have at least at least an
additional inch of precipitation are generally west of Rosebud Co.
Higher foothills and mountains north and west of Billings have at
least a 50% chance of 2 inches.

Biggest concern for this forecast is the strong winds. Winds in
the lower levels of the atmosphere (50-60 mph) are predicted to
reach the surface through the day today across much of the region.
One thing that makes this forecast difficult is the opposing
force of the ascent. Given the strong dynamics and placement of
the low over south-central MT as well as the strong low level
winds, this increased confidence in a high wind event. With this,
a High Wind Warning had been issued for much of south-central MT.
There is a possibility this could be extended eastward as low
level winds shift north and east and subsidence sets in over SE
MT. Will be something to reassess later today.

With regards to snow today, freezing levels are forecasted to get
down to around 9000 ft. Higher elevations (10,000 ft+) could see
12-18 inches of snow through this evening. With this, a Winter
Storm warning has been issued for the Beartooth Absaroka
Mountains. Localized areas as low as 7500 ft could see a few
inches through the early morning. Use caution if you have outdoor
or travel plans in the high country.

High temperatures will be in the 50s and 60s today. For Thursday,
dry and warmer conditions will dominate as westerly low takes
place. Highs will be in the 60s and 70s. TS

Friday through Tuesday...

Pacific flow w/ near normal heights will persist Friday thru
Monday. The general consensus among ensembles leans toward this
being a mostly dry period of weather, but there is some
uncertainty here. There are a couple of shortwaves embedded within
the flow. The first Friday and Friday night may bring some showers
(20-30% chance) along with a brief push of modest cold advection.
The second wave Sunday night and Monday may do the same. That
said, there are a few ensemble members (the least probable of
cluster analyses) that show one or both of these waves being
sharper and a bit wetter. Temperatures should be more or less
seasonable (highs in 60s & 70s) for the third week of September.

There is some confidence in a building ridge, and thus warmer and
drier conditions, toward the middle of next week. We could see
temps back near 80F.

JKL

&&

.AVIATION...

There will be widespread impacts to aviation today. Rain and
strong west winds will impact the region today. Heaviest precip
will be west of Rosebud County, and reductions to MVFR are likely.
A few embedded thunderstorms are possible. Strongest winds (gusts
of 40-55 knots) are expected from KBIL westward. Mountains will
be frequently obscured, with snow above 9,500 feet. Precipitation
and wind will gradually diminish tonight as the dynamic weather
system begins to depart to the northeast. JKL

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...

    Tdy Thu     Fri     Sat     Sun     Mon     Tue
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 061 053/074 050/075 046/065 044/070 047/070 048/073
    +/T 60/U    01/U    31/B    11/U    12/W    21/U
LVM 060 044/072 042/073 039/065 038/070 041/068 041/072
    +/T 50/U    01/B    21/B    11/U    13/W    21/U
HDN 061 052/075 046/077 044/067 042/071 043/070 045/073
    +/T 70/B    01/U    31/B    11/U    12/W    21/U
MLS 064 055/072 049/076 046/064 044/068 045/069 046/070
    7/T 71/N    00/U    21/B    11/B    11/B    11/U
4BQ 065 054/072 047/078 045/065 043/067 045/069 045/069
    7/W 50/U    00/U    21/B    11/B    11/B    11/B
BHK 068 051/072 046/078 043/065 041/067 042/068 042/069
    7/T 51/N    00/U    21/B    11/B    11/B    11/B
SHR 069 048/076 043/080 040/066 038/070 038/070 041/072
    8/W 50/U    01/U    31/B    11/U    12/W    21/U

&&

.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...High Wind Warning in effect until 9 PM MDT this evening FOR
      ZONES
      29>31-34-36-42-57-58-63-68-138-141-170-172-173-228-235.
     Wind Advisory in effect until 9 PM MDT this evening FOR ZONE
      66.
     Winter Storm Warning in effect until 6 PM MDT this evening
      FOR ZONE 67.
WY...None.

&&

weather.gov/billings

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Livingston Area

When: September 18, 4:47 AM MST
Where: Livingston Area forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 45.488, -110.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Big Horn

When: September 18, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Big Horn forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted to 63 mph in the Busby area.

High Wind, Southern Rosebud

When: September 18, 12:01 PM MST
Where: Southern Rosebud forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted to 58 mph at the Badger Peak RAWS.

High Wind, Powder River

When: September 18, 1:00 PM MST
Where: Powder River forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted to 59 mph across Home Creek Divide.

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 2024 Every state in 2024 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, September 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1211867, 1211868, 1211869, 1211870.