Tight surface pressure gradients across portions of northern Wyoming resulted in some high wind gusts.
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The episode as NWS BYZ wrote it up.
Tight surface pressure gradients across portions of northern Wyoming resulted in some high wind gusts.
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 16, 8:00 PM MST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated
National Weather Service Billings MT
900 PM MDT Sun Mar 16 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Very strong wind in the mountains, with locally damaging winds
possible in the higher foothills, late this evening into
tonight.
- Moderate to heavy mountain snow expected through Tuesday.
- Another round of rain/snow Monday through Tuesday over the lower
elevations. Best chance for impactful snow in the foothills.
&&
.UPDATE...
Winds have been gusting into the 40-60 mph range at times up in
the mountains and for portions of the western foothills this
evening. As mid-level winds increase ahead of an approaching cold
front, expect the surface winds to increase over the southern
mountains and foothills through the remainder of the evening and
overnight. The strong wind potential will gradually diminish for
the Livingston to Big Timber areas over the next few hours, while
the wind potential increases for the Bighorn/Pryor mountains and
adjacent foothill locations. Have adjusted winds, PoPs and
precipitation amounts to current trends through tonight. Snow will
continue to spread into the southwest mountains tonight, before a
cold front dropping in from the north brings a period of
rain/snow showers to the lower elevations late tonight into
Monday as winds switch to the north. Outside of the mountains,
precipitation amounts are expected to be light, with an inch or
less of snow expected. Will make no changes to the going wind
highlites and Winter Storm Warning. STP
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Rest of Today through Tuesday night...
Winds will continue to increase this afternoon, before a surge of
mid level winds brings the risk of locally damaging winds to the
foothills and mountains. Currently, wind gusts in the 40s mph have
been observed in and around Billings. Gusts in the 50s have been
observed in the mountains, and low 60s mph in Livingston and Nye.
A brief lull in gust strength has settled over much of the
western mountains and foothills, though increasingly strong mid-
upper level winds will arrive this afternoon and last through
tonight. The dynamics with this surge of wind will produce
mountain wave activity over the Absaroka/Beartooths and Bighorns
and their respective foothills. Model soundings continue to depict
strong subsidence bringing upper level winds to the surface in the
Red Lodge/Beartooth Sheridan Foothills. The timing for strong
winds varies across the area. A Wind Advisory in effect for
Livingston, Nye, and Beartooth Foothills until 3AM Monday. A High
Wind Warning goes into effect for the Red Lodge Foothills at 3PM
today and lasts until 6AM Monday. A High Wind Warning goes into
effect in the Bighorn Mountains, Sheridan Foothills, and Southern
Big Horn County at 6PM this evening.
Locations in the Absaroka/Beartooth mountains may exceed 75 mph
with 700mb winds of more than 70 knots. Along with strong winds,
periods of moderate to heavy snow are occurring and expected to
continue through Tuesday. Storm total accumulations of 1 to 3 feet
are forecasted. The combination of strong winds and falling and
blowing snow will produce extremely dangerous conditions in the
high country through tonight. West facing slopes will mainly be
favored through Monday morning.
The strongest period of winds will begin to diminish with an
approaching upper trough and surface front Monday morning. With
this front, mountain snowfall will briefly lighten up for a few
hours, before the trough digs into the desert southwest. Another
surge of moisture and a surface wind shift will arrive Monday
evening, bringing another period of moderate to heavy snowfall to
the mountains and potentially foothills. North and east facing
slopes will be favored with this period, leading to total snow
accumulations of 4 to 8 inches along the Red Lodge/Beartooth, and
Sheridan Foothills through Tuesday. Models continue to show heavy
snowfall resulting in over a foot of snow in the Bighorn
Mountains, Monday night through Tuesday.
The chance for precipitation will be low to moderate (10-60%,
highest west of I-90) across lower elevations tonight through
Monday morning. Precip type will begin as rain and become a
rain/snow mix over night. Total accumulations are expected to be
light, generally less than a tenth of an inch of QPF and a trace
of snow. With the surge of moisture Monday evening, the chance for
precipitation will increase again, mainly south of a line from
Miles City to Harlowton. The current forecast has a 40 to 90%
chance of precip, greatest as you approach the mountains and
foothills. Accumulations are more likely with this event, with
0.1" to over an inch of QPF and a few tenths to 6 inches of
snowfall possible. Again, these amounts will be highest in the
foothills, especially for Livingston, Red Lodge, and Sheridan.
Uncertainty on the timing and extent of precip and accumulations
still exists so continue to monitor the forecast for updates as we
begin the new week.
Upper trough will begin to move east Tuesday night, giving way to
an upper ridge bringing warmer and drier conditions on Wednesday.
High temperatures will be seasonable on Monday, in the 40s and low
50s. Near normal to slightly below normal highs are forecast on
Tuesday, in the upper 30s and 40s.
Matos
Wednesday through Sunday...
Ridging builds in for Wednesday. Any lingering showers along the
southern state line should end by late morning with sunshine and
temperatures warming into the 50s by afternoon.
Ridging doesn't last long with a slider trof dropping southeast
along the spine of the rockies. This will bring a chance for
mountain snow and lower elevation rain showers to the eastern half
of the forecast area overnight into the day Thursday. This system
starts a period of generally northwest flow over the area that
persists through the weekend into early next week. Another slider
wave brings a chance for rain/snow showers over the western half
for Saturday. Yet another arrives Monday for additional showers
again mainly over the western half of the area.
Overall not a washout pattern, but unsettled at times with showers
and fairly persistent breezy conditions from Billings west and
south into the mountains. Snow accumulations could add up to 3 to
6 inches in the mountains with each passing disturbance. Areas
further east will see less wind and less precipitation potential.
Temperatures stay fairly consistent with highs in the 45 to 55
degree range each day while lows stay in the 20s to mid 30s.
Chambers
&&
.AVIATION...
Can't stress enough that this afternoon through tonight is not
the time to take small aircraft out for a ride. Strong to extreme
mountain wave wind potential is forecast to develop and will push
well east of the mountains.
Very strong southwest to west winds are expected for areas along
the western foothills and southern mountains/foothills through
tonight. Local extreme mountain wave activity is expected along
the eastern side of all area mountains during this time frame
(KLVM/KSHR included), strongest through 09z time frame.
Flight conditions are expected to be VFR today east of the
Rockies. By later tonight (08-12z) a cold front will push into the
area from the north with attendant shower activity resulting in
areas of MVFR conditions in rain/snow showers. Mountain
obscuration will be persistent through the period with Pacific
moisture flowing through producing nearly continuous
moderate/heavy snow in the high country. Chambers/STP
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 039/049 032/044 027/049 031/054 034/053 034/052 033/052
64/O 45/S 10/U 01/N 41/N 14/O 21/B
LVM 034/044 027/037 020/043 027/046 026/044 029/042 024/044
86/O 75/S 10/N 04/S 51/N 36/S 21/N
HDN 037/050 031/045 025/050 025/057 032/054 030/053 030/054
54/R 45/S 20/U 01/B 41/B 14/O 31/B
MLS 037/051 029/046 025/050 027/056 033/053 031/052 031/051
31/E 11/E 00/U 00/B 21/B 02/R 21/B
4BQ 038/052 032/042 026/046 025/054 033/051 031/050 031/050
11/B 54/S 00/U 00/B 31/N 02/R 31/B
BHK 031/050 024/041 019/045 021/052 028/050 026/050 025/048
31/B 21/E 00/U 00/B 11/N 01/B 21/B
SHR 034/051 026/037 018/042 018/051 025/047 023/047 023/047
12/R 98/S 21/U 01/B 52/S 05/O 42/O
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...High Wind Warning in effect until 6 AM MDT Monday FOR ZONE
56.
Wind Advisory in effect until 3 AM MDT Monday FOR ZONES
65-66.
Winter Storm Warning in effect until noon MDT Tuesday FOR
ZONES 67-68.
High Wind Warning in effect until 9 AM MDT Monday FOR ZONES
138-169-171.
High Wind Warning in effect until 3 AM MDT Monday FOR ZONES
141-172.
WY...High Wind Warning in effect until 9 AM MDT Monday FOR ZONES
198-199.
&&
weather.gov/billingsPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Billings MT
904 PM MDT Sun Mar 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0815 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 S Pray 45.35N 110.68W
03/16/2025 M63 MPH Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM86 Emigrant E.
0130 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 6 SSE Washoe 45.07N 109.15W
03/16/2025 M60 MPH Carbon MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM98 Ruby Creek.
0715 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WSW Pryor 45.41N 108.56W
03/16/2025 M54 MPH Big Horn MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTC01 Pryor.
0700 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 NNW Cooke City 45.07N 109.96W
03/16/2025 M53 MPH Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station GNFCC Cooke City.
0835 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 9 N Limestone 45.58N 109.88W
03/16/2025 M51 MPH Sweet Grass MT Mesonet
Mesonet station DBYM8 Derby Mountain.
0412 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 17 NE Wilsall 46.16N 110.38W
03/16/2025 M50 MPH Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station TT453 Crazy.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Billings MT
937 PM MDT Sun Mar 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 13 SW Washoe 45.03N 109.41W
03/16/2025 M69 MPH Carbon MT Mesonet
Mesonet station TT839 Quad Creek.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds gusted to 63 mph across the foothills area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, 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: 1238774.