Montana, 2026

Strong Wind in Montana, May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026 · NWS MSO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A shortwave dropping down in northwest flow, paired with a weak cold front and most unstable CAPE around 450 J/kg, produced showers and isolated thunderstorms across western Montana during the evening hours of May 20th.

Where it happened

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.

  • Tornadoes
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  • Floods
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  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MSO wrote it up.

A shortwave dropping down in northwest flow, paired with a weak cold front and most unstable CAPE around 450 J/kg, produced showers and isolated thunderstorms across western Montana during the evening hours of May 20th.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Sanders

When
May 20, 6:50 PM MST to 8:02 PM MST
Where
Sanders County
Measured
48 kt (55 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
47.675, -115.133 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling trees and branches brought down power lines and damaged a number of power poles, which sparked two small fires along Highway 200 west of Thompson Falls. Several trees were reported on power lines from Trout Creek to Noxon, as well as on Blue Slide Road and Highway 200. The damage resulted in overnight power outages for roughly 400 customers.

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, May 2026

Sources

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: 1329754.