A low pressure system that moved through the region brought a brief period of gusty winds to Central MT. This caused isolated strong sustained winds to develop.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 TFX wrote it up.
A low pressure system that moved through the region brought a brief period of gusty winds to Central MT. This caused isolated strong sustained winds to develop.
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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 20, 11:15 AM MST, 45 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 1115 AM MST Tue Jan 20 2026 Aviation Section Updated. .KEY MESSAGES... - Gusty north to northwest winds and snow showers accompany a quick moving weather disturbance across north-central and central Montana this morning. - Another period of gusty north winds is expected later tonight through Wednesday morning across north-central Montana with locally stronger winds near the island mountain ranges. - A period of colder temperatures is likely Thursday and Friday with the coldest airmass affecting eastern portions of north- central Montana. && .UPDATE... /Issued 815 AM MST Tue Jan 20 2026/ Light snow will continue to push south through Central Montana this morning. It will mostly diminish before it reaches Southwestern Montana. If traveling in Central Montana this morning be prepared for slick spots and reduced visibility. The current Special Weather Statement handles the current situation well. For the update, wind speeds and gusts were increased across North-central Montana to better reflect current observations and trends. Pops across portions of North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana were increased through early this afternoon to reflect current observations and trends and the latest hi-res model guidance. The rest of the forecast is on track. -IG && .DISCUSSION... /Issued 815 AM MST Tue Jan 20 2026/ - Meteorological Overview: The Northern Rockies and MT remain on the far SW periphery of a deep upper level trough centered near Hudson Bay through the remainder of the work week. The next clipper-type shortwave disturbance pivoting around the trough will move south across the area this morning, bringing a shift to gusty northwest winds and a period of snow showers as it quickly moves through the area. Low level cold advection and surface pressure rises will support gusts in the 30-40 mph range across much of north-central and central MT this morning with a few higher gusts near the island mountain ranges. Enough moisture and shallow instability (mostly below 700MB) will develop across north-centrla MT this morning to support the development of snow showers with enhanced coverage near the north slopes of central MT mountains, especially the Little Belts and Snowies. Snow showers and winds will decrease this afternoon as the quick moving system exits the area with relatively dry and less windy conditions persisting through this evening before the next disturbance arrives later tonight. This system will have less moisture and a limited coverage of a few snow showers/flurries as it moves through early Wednesday morning, but potential for higher wind/gust speeds as an area of 45-50kt flow at 850-700mb moves across eastern portions of north-central MT, where a few gusts in excess of 50 mph area possible near the island mountain ranges. Temperatures cool to near seasonal averages today with slight additional cooling on Wednesday. More noticeable cooling is expected Thursday and Friday as a strong surface high shifts from the Canadian Prairies south through the Dakotas. The coldest of this airmass remains east of the area but temperatures will fall below seasonal averages with the coldest temperatures on the plains. Some warming is likely this weekend as the upper level pattern de-amplifies some and the Canadian trough shifts east, but the area is likely to remain under a northwest flow aloft with some uncertainty in the potential for additional disturbances to move through by then. Hoenisch - Forecast Confidence & Scenarios: Snowfall amounts in excess of 2 inches are likely (>70% probability) across the Little Belts and Snowies this morning. Weakly unstable northerly flow will favor some enhancement along and adjacent to the north slopes of these ranges with some potential for a period of more widespread snow showers across Judith Basin and Fergus Counties this morning, where localized accumulation to around 1" is possible. While snowfall amounts are fairly low, gusty winds will occur with the snow showers and may may briefly impact areas along US-87 from Belt east to Lewistown this morning with locally reduced visibility. Hoenisch && .AVIATION... 20/18Z TAF Period As the front continues to move south over central and southwest Montana, winds will increase right as the front passes along with light snow showers that will primarily impact slantwise visibility. Low-VFR to IFR CIGs are expected through the morning before gradually lifting towards the late afternoon hours. The next weather disturbance arrives on Wednesday with some increasing low to mid-level clouds after 21/12Z which will bring back low-VFR CIGs and periods of mountain obscuration across the region. -thor && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 35 20 30 10 / 50 10 0 0 CTB 32 16 26 4 / 30 0 0 0 HLN 35 17 31 11 / 50 0 0 0 BZN 33 12 30 10 / 40 0 0 0 WYS 27 -1 27 -3 / 40 0 0 0 DLN 36 13 35 14 / 0 0 0 0 HVR 31 13 24 2 / 30 0 0 0 LWT 32 15 26 6 / 80 0 0 0 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Great Falls MT 923 AM MST Tue Jan 20 2026 MTZ316-319-321-323-326-201900- Gates of the Mountains-Helena Valley-Meagher County Valleys- Canyon Ferry Area-Gallatin Valley- Including the cities of Canyon Creek, Wolf Creek, Craig, Helena, Martinsdale, Checkerboard, Ringling, White Sulphur Springs, Toston, Townsend, Winston, Bozeman, and Gallatin Gateway 923 AM MST Tue Jan 20 2026 ...Locally reduced visibility in areas of snow or snow showers this morning across portions of Central and SOuthwestern Montana... Areas of light snow or snow showers are developing across Central Montana and Southwestern Montana. Visibility will be reduced as low as one mile at times. Total snowfall accumulations up to one half inch are expected. Snow showers will decrease by early this afternoon. If traveling slow down, use caution, make sure your headlights are on, and be prepared for changing conditions.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Mesonet station MTBCH Beacon Hill averaged 41 mph sustained winds over an hour.
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, January 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1307577.