A very strong thunderstorm over Fallon County produced a severe wind gust at the Baker Airport. In addition, a synoptically-driven wind resulted in a few high wind gusts southeast of Red Lodge, Montana, as well as near the Busby, Montana area.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
A very strong thunderstorm over Fallon County produced a severe wind gust at the Baker Airport. In addition, a synoptically-driven wind resulted in a few high wind gusts southeast of Red Lodge, Montana, as well as near the Busby, Montana area.
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 29, 7:17 PM MST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated
National Weather Service Billings MT
817 PM MDT Sun Sep 29 2024
.KEY MESSAGES...
- A cold front this evening will bring cooler conditions with
gusty northwest winds into Monday.
- Warmer and drier conditions build back over the area Tuesday and
Wednesday.
&&
.UPDATE...
The Red Flag Warning for Sheridan County, WY has been allowed to
expire. While a cold front is still expected to move through the
Sheridan area late this evening, the cooler temperatures and
higher humidities are limiting the risk of erratic fire behavior.
The cold front mentioned above is moving into the Billings area now
(around 8PM MDT). This front will continue to drop south through
the evening, making it to Sheridan, WY around 11 PM MDT. Breezy
northwesterly winds are still expected behind the front overnight
and through the day Monday. The rest of the forecast remain on
track.
Note: Each of our main climate stations set daily high temperature
records today. These were also records for the latest in the year
its ever been this hot.
SITE HIGH TODAY PREVIOUS RECORD PERIOD OF RECORD BEGAN
BILLINGS 94 89 (1989) 1934
LIVINGSTON 92 89 (1967) 1948
MILES CITY 100 94 (1989) 1937
SHERIDAN 98 91 (1989) 1907
BAKER 97 89 (2022) 1998
Arends
&&
.DISCUSSION...
The rest of today through Monday night...
Hot, dry and breezy conditions continue this afternoon ahead of a
cold front moving through this evening into overnight. A Red Flag
Warning is in effect until 8 PM for Sheridan county. Temperatures
are approaching or exceeding daily record highs. See the table
below for the previous records and initial temperature
observations as of 1 PM today.
LOCATION RECORD YEAR 1PM TEMP
---------------------------------------
Billings 89 1989 87
Livingston 89 1967 90
Miles City 94 1989 87
Sheridan 91 1989 97
The cold front is expected to begin to move through around 6 PM
this evening, starting over the northwest, and moving south and
east into the overnight hours. With the frontal passage, gusts
around 30-40 mph are expected and strong gusts will linger into
Monday morning. Near Harlowton, there is a 50% chance of gusts
greater than 50 mph through tonight.
Monday will be around 30 degrees cooler, with highs in the mid 50s
to low 60s. Lows overnight will drop into the 30s, and some
locations along the western valleys may fall into the upper 20s,
bringing the first frost of the season for many. Be sure to take
care of any sensitive vegetation! Archer
Tuesday through Sunday...
Relatively quiet fall weather pattern in store for our area
through next weekend. Temperatures fluctuating from the 60s (Thu)
to the upper 70s (Sat) with a few periods of gusty winds
(Tue,Wed,Sat) will be the main sensible weather for the extended
period. Unfortunately much needed rainfall is not in the forecast
until possibly after next weekend with a dry zonal flow pattern
over the region.
Despite the cooler temperatures, compared to recent days, highs
will still be well above normal (~68 deg) for most of the
extended period. Without the rainfall grass fire danger will
remain elevated across the region. Those getting outdoors to
recreate and hunt will need to be extra cautious with anything
that could start a fire until rainfall arrives, especially on
windy days. Chambers
&&
.AVIATION...
A cold front dropping through the region this evening will shift
winds to the NW-N. Expect widespread gusts of 25-40 knots behind
the frontal passage and thru much of the night. Breezy NW winds
will continue thru Monday, with highest gusts east of KBIL. VFR
will prevail through the period. JKL
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 046/061 037/075 051/076 041/064 039/074 050/080 048/076
10/U 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U
LVM 037/060 033/078 048/077 036/067 036/078 047/077 043/076
00/U 00/U 00/N 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U
HDN 045/062 034/076 047/075 039/066 035/076 044/081 043/077
10/U 00/B 00/B 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U
MLS 048/060 035/073 050/070 041/063 036/071 046/076 043/072
10/N 00/U 00/U 10/U 00/U 00/U 00/U
4BQ 048/060 035/075 049/074 041/065 037/074 049/079 046/074
00/N 00/B 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U
BHK 045/059 032/072 046/073 037/064 034/071 043/076 040/071
00/N 00/B 00/U 01/B 00/U 00/U 00/U
SHR 040/061 031/076 046/079 037/067 035/079 044/082 042/077
00/N 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U 00/U
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
WY...None.
&&
weather.gov/billingsThe Billings radar (KBLX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:52 UTC.
2 high wind, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A synoptically-driven wind resulted in a high wind gust southeast of Red Lodge.
The Baker Airport reported a wind gust of 67 mph.
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, September 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: 1211632, 1211629, 1211636.