A tight west-east surface pressure gradient resulted in a period of high winds across the western portions of the Billings Forecast Area.
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The episode as NWS BYZ wrote it up.
A tight west-east surface pressure gradient resulted in a period of high winds across the western portions of the Billings Forecast 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 Mar 23, 6:18 PM MST, 5 hours 42 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
718 PM MDT Sun Mar 23 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Strong wind gusts (45-65 mph) in the western foothills tonight
through Monday.
- Gusty winds (30 to 50 mph) spread across the plains Monday.
Locally stronger gusts possible near showers.
- Mountain snow (3-8 inches) and lower elevation rain showers tonight
into Monday.
- Above normal temperatures Monday through Thursday.
- Turning cooler and unsettled late in the week.
&&
.UPDATE...
No changes to wind highlights along the western foothills.
Despite downslope gradients that are somewhat modest (only 7mb
difference from KIDA to KLWT), winds are gusting 40-50 mph at
Livingston and have climbed to 55 mph near Nye. Surface analysis
shows pressures falling ~1mb/hr in north central MT, so gradient
is starting to tighten, and as we move past sunset and the
boundary layer begins to stabilize, expect gusts in the gap
locations to increase. Advisories for Livingston & Nye look good.
Later tonight as axis of pressure falls begins to slide east, Big
Timber and Harlowton will see winds increase. Local guidance
continues to show high probabilities for 58+ mph gusts along the
US-191 corridor late tonight and tomorrow.
Otherwise, Pacific moisture spilling over a Pacific coast ridge
will bring periods of overrunning precipitation tonight. Already
seeing some light snow at Cooke City. BLX radar is starting to
show increasing echoes from Musselshell to Treasure and Northern
Rosebud (i.e. east of the stronger downslope effects). Surface
temps tonight should stay sufficiently warm to prevent any risk of
freezing precip over our east.
Forecast is in good shape. Have made minor adjustments to winds
and pops based on current trends.
JKL
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Through Tuesday night...
Temperatures reached the 40s to lower 50s today, with breezy
winds over portions of the area, strongest along the western
foothills where winds were gusting to 40 mph. Precipitation
chances will increase over the western mountains into this evening
as Pacific moisture moves into the area. Showers will spread east
out onto the lower elevations this evening and tonight as a weak
frontal boundary lifts north and east. A weak wave dropping in
from the NW and a jet max overhead will allow showers to become
more widespread over eastern areas tonight into tomorrow.
Temperatures will be warm enough where it should be mainly rain,
although some snow could mix in over the higher hills tonight in
the east. Most areas east of a Billings to Sheridan line will see
a tenth of an inch or less of precipitation, with some areas
seeing closer to 0.25 inches. The mountains will see another 3 to
8 inches of snow, greatest over the west aspects of the
Beartooth/Absaroka mountains.
Surface pressure gradients increase for the Livingston/Nye areas
this evening, before becoming more west to east oriented on
Monday. WNW 700 mb winds of 40-60 kts are still progged to spread
into the area overnight into Monday, strongest over the western
foothills. MAV/MET guidance continue to indicate advisory level
and warning level winds for the western foothills, with wind gusts
of 45-65 mph expected tonight into Monday. That being said,
periods of ascent could work against the wind potential. Have gone
ahead and upgraded the High Wind Watch to a warning, in effect
from 3am to 6pm Monday. Strong winds will spread over the rest of
the area on Monday (30-50 mph), before decreasing Monday night.
Localized stronger gusts are possible near any shower.
Showers look to linger over central and eastern areas Tuesday as
a weak wave backdoors into the east. Temperatures will warm into
the 50s and 60s for Monday and Tuesday, coolest over the east. STP
Wednesday through Sunday...
An upper level ridge will keep conditions warm and dry into
Thursday. Then, a cold front moving through will bring a small
chance for precipitation to the west by Thursday afternoon.
Accumulations will remain light during this time frame, with only
a 10-30% chance of at least 0.1" of precip west of Billings and
over the Beartooth/Absarokas.
Late Thursday/early Friday, a Pacific trough will bring an
increased chance of precipitation and cooler temperatures across
the region. There is still disagreement between the models on the
exact timing and track of the trough. Precip amounts have trended
slightly up, with a 40-60% chance of at least 0.25" of precip
over the plains and a 60-80% chance over the mountains through
Saturday. Over the lower elevations, precip is expected to fall
mostly as rain as temperatures will remain too warm for much, if
any, snow. For the mountains, there is currently a 60% chance of
at least 6 inches of snow Friday through Saturday. For Sunday,
models continue to disagree on if upper level flow will be zonal
or if weak ridging will build in. Currently, there is a low
(20-40%) chance of precip through the day.
High temperatures Wednesday will be in the mid 60s to low 70s,
increasing to 70s to near 80 Thursday, which may set new daily
records in Billings and Sheridan. Temps will decrease with the
next system, with highs in the 50s to near 60 Friday and mid 40s
to low 50s for the weekend. Archer
&&
.AVIATION...
Scattered showers will spread west to east this evening into
Monday morning. Under the heaviest showers, ceilings and
visibilities will decrease to MVFR/IFR. Expect mountain
obscuration. Winds will briefly decrease this evening, before
increasing again overnight. By Monday morning, expect widespread
gusts of 25-35 kts, with gusts in the lower 50 kts near KLVM,
K6S0, and K3HT. Archer
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 043/064 046/064 040/073 045/077 045/057 038/049 032/054
22/W 11/B 00/B 01/B 46/R 56/R 32/O
LVM 042/057 042/062 039/069 044/068 039/050 033/046 029/050
42/W 11/B 00/B 02/R 56/R 55/O 32/R
HDN 039/064 043/062 036/072 039/079 043/058 036/049 030/054
43/W 22/W 00/B 01/B 45/R 56/R 32/O
MLS 040/061 039/057 037/069 040/077 044/060 036/046 028/049
75/W 21/E 00/B 00/B 23/R 44/R 21/B
4BQ 039/059 041/056 037/070 040/077 045/060 037/045 029/048
75/W 21/B 00/B 00/U 23/R 55/R 32/R
BHK 033/056 034/054 032/065 035/072 041/058 030/043 024/045
87/W 21/B 00/B 00/B 23/R 44/O 31/B
SHR 034/060 037/059 034/069 037/078 039/054 031/044 025/049
32/W 11/B 00/B 01/B 36/R 66/R 32/O
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...High Wind Warning in effect from 3 AM to 6 PM MDT Monday FOR
ZONES 34-42-63-141-172-228.
Wind Advisory in effect until 3 PM MDT Monday FOR ZONES
65-66.
WY...None.
&&
weather.gov/billingsThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds gusted up to 61 mph across the area.
Winds gusted up to 64 mph across the area.
Winds gusted up to 58 mph across the area.
Winds gusted up to 58 mph across the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, March 2025
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: 1238400, 1238406, 1238401, 1238405.