A surprisingly strong surge of winds impacted far southeast MT, producing gusts up to 64 mph.
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.
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 surprisingly strong surge of winds impacted far southeast MT, producing gusts up to 64 mph.
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 Apr 7, 11:46 PM MST, 7 hours 44 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
1246 AM MDT Wed Apr 8 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Strong brisk northwest winds over the east today. Gusts 50-60
mph possible (Baker, Ekalaka).
- Warming trend into the weekend. Near 80 degrees some locations
by Saturday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Today through Tuesday...
As a low pressure system continues to move off to the east, it
will bring strong 700 mb winds of 50-60 kts for locations from
Rosebud County and east this morning. This will work to limit
maximum wind gust potential as maximum mixing may not align with
maximum 700 mb winds. This is indicated in Hi-Res model soundings
which show strong mixing developing around 9 am as upper level
winds are starting to decrease. Locations east of Rosebud County
are likely to winds in the 40s and 50s mph with Carter and Fallon
Counties having a chance (20-50%) of seeing a wind gust over 60
mph.
Today and Thursday will be quiet with seasonal temperatures in the
50s and dry conditions. Temperatures begin to increase Friday
with increasing 500 mb heights and southerly winds ahead of an
approaching low pressure system. Temperatures are expected to be
in the 60s Friday and 70s Saturday. Over the weekend, ensembles
are indicating that a 500 mb trough will begin to impact the
region. Surface low pressure developing over the region brings
precipitation chances Saturday night through Tuesday. The best
chance (50-80%) for precipitation during this period is Sunday and
Monday. This system will also lower temperatures with 50s likely
returning by Monday and Tuesday. Torgerson
.AVIATION...
Isolated showers, producing localized MVFR conditions, will end
early this morning. NW winds will strengthen over the east this
morning, with gusts around 40-50 kts close to the Dakotas border,
impacting KBHK & K97M. Winds will decrease, becoming mostly light
this evening into overnight. Archer
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Tdy Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 056 033/055 032/066 044/078 048/069 039/049 032/056
0/U 00/U 00/B 12/W 36/W 77/W 43/W
LVM 060 034/059 031/066 043/072 044/062 035/049 030/057
0/N 00/U 01/B 13/W 47/W 67/W 42/W
HDN 056 032/057 031/070 041/079 044/071 039/052 030/056
0/U 11/B 00/U 12/W 46/W 77/W 53/W
MLS 047 028/052 028/066 044/078 047/071 038/049 027/050
0/N 01/B 00/U 00/B 34/W 55/W 32/W
4BQ 050 030/053 029/066 046/078 047/071 039/050 028/050
0/N 01/B 00/U 10/B 23/W 56/W 43/W
BHK 043 022/049 026/060 040/075 044/070 037/049 024/047
0/N 02/J 00/U 00/B 13/W 45/W 32/J
SHR 052 028/054 028/066 041/074 041/067 036/049 027/053
1/U 01/U 00/B 12/W 35/W 68/W 54/W
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
WY...None.
&&
weather.gov/billingsPreliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Billings MT
826 AM MDT Wed Apr 8 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0722 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3 NW Miles City 46.43N 105.88W
04/07/2026 M68 MPH Custer MT ASOS
ASOS station KMLS Miles City.
0924 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 W Moorhead 45.05N 105.95W
04/07/2026 M66 MPH Powder River MT Mesonet
Mesonet station BSHM8 Bradshaw Creek.
0630 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 9 ENE Bascom 46.70N 106.59W
04/07/2026 M65 MPH Rosebud MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM89 Angela W.
0800 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 6 SSW Stacey 45.64N 106.94W
04/07/2026 M65 MPH Big Horn MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM91 Busby N.
0544 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 ENE Harlowton 46.45N 109.80W
04/07/2026 M64 MPH Wheatland MT AWOS
AWOS station K1KM 2 ENE Harlowton.
0325 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 13 SW Washoe 45.03N 109.41W
04/07/2026 M64 MPH Carbon MT Mesonet
Mesonet station TT839 Quad Creek (RAWS).
0412 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 17 NE Wilsall 46.16N 110.38W
04/07/2026 M63 MPH Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station TT453 Crazy.
0405 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 7 ENE Livingston 45.70N 110.43W
04/07/2026 M62 MPH Park MT ASOS
ASOS station KLVM Livingston.
0739 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SE Baker 46.35N 104.25W
04/07/2026 M61 MPH Fallon MT ASOS
ASOS station KBHK Baker.
0155 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SSW Big Timber 45.80N 109.97W
04/07/2026 M60 MPH Sweet Grass MT AWOS
AWOS station K6S0 Big Timber.
0145 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SW Springdale 45.72N 110.25W
04/07/2026 M60 MPH Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTSPD Springdale I-90 Mp
352.3.
1230 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 7 WNW Twodot 46.45N 110.21W
04/07/2026 M58 MPH Wheatland MT Mesonet
0315 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Judith Gap 46.69N 109.75W
04/07/2026 M58 MPH Wheatland MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTJUD Judith Gap (MT DOT).
0715 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 11 WSW Corinth 45.78N 108.16W
04/07/2026 M57 MPH Yellowstone MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTARC 11.8 S Ballantine (MT
DOT).
0635 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 9 N Limestone 45.58N 109.88W
04/07/2026 M57 MPH Sweet Grass MT Mesonet
Mesonet station DBYM8 Derby Mountain.
0630 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 W Ingomar 46.58N 107.40W
04/07/2026 M57 MPH Rosebud MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTING 1.6 W Ingomar (MT
DOT).
0730 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 8 SE Tusler 46.40N 105.63W
04/07/2026 M57 MPH Custer MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTGOV 5.5 E Murn (MT DOT).
0840 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 SE Knowlton 46.31N 105.03W
04/07/2026 M57 MPH Custer MT Mesonet
Mesonet station KTFM8 Knowlton.
0445 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 8 WSW Molt 45.82N 109.09W
04/07/2026 M56 MPH Stillwater MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM20 8.4 S Halfbreed Lake
Wildlife (MT-MESO).
0745 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 SW Ulmer 46.30N 105.98W
04/07/2026 M56 MPH Custer MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM26 4.4 SE Horton
(MT-MESO).
0735 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WNW Hardin 45.75N 107.66W
04/07/2026 M56 MPH Big Horn MT AWOS
AWOS station K00U 2 WNW Hardin.
0500 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 9 NE Reed Point 45.80N 109.43W
04/07/2026 M55 MPH Stillwater MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM22 8.8 NE Reed Point
(MT-MESO).
0645 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NW Rock Springs 46.83N 106.27W
04/07/2026 M55 MPH Rosebud MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTHIL 1.6 NW Rock Springs
(MT DOT).
0815 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 E Ulmer 46.35N 105.83W
04/07/2026 M55 MPH Custer MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTM25 4.3 S Miles City
(MT-MESO).
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Angela W gusted to 62 mph.
Miles City airport gusted to 58 mph.
Baker Airport gusted to 64 mph.
BLM Capitol gusted to 59 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2026
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: 1329019, 1329020, 1329021, 1329022.