A brief period of strong winds impacted Sheridan County, producing gusts up to 58 mph.
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The episode as NWS BYZ wrote it up.
A brief period of strong winds impacted Sheridan County, producing gusts up to 58 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 Jan 31, 2:58 AM MST, 6 hours 44 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
258 AM MST Sat Jan 31 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- A brief period of mixed precipitation, including freezing rain
(up to 0.05 inches of ice), is forecast to impact areas around
and east of Rosebud County this morning.
- Strong wind gusts along western foothills this morning, gusts
up to 65 mph expected.
- Mostly dry and very warm with periods of gusty winds along the
western foothills through the next 7 days.
- Increased grass fire concerns across the area next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Today through Friday...
Currently, a shortwave disturbance and associated precipitation is
passing through eastern MT. With warm air advecting in, this wave
is bringing light accumulation of snow, freezing rain with rain
expected to follow. Use caution as sidewalks and roads will
become slick. Precipitation is expected to end by noon today as
dryer air fills in behind in the mid levels. With regards to
winds, current analysis is showing a 45-55kt 700 mb jet over south
central MT with observed pressure gradient from IDA to LWT at
about 15-17 mb. Wind gusts 50-65 mph are expected to decrease mid
to late morning as pressure rises fill in across central MT and
700mb winds decrease. With strong winds in the low levels expected
to mix down across much of the area today, wind gusts of 25-45
mph will be common. These winds will greatly decrease as the sun
sets this evening.
Breezy conditions will remain in place through much of the week
across the western foothills as a favorable pressure gradient
remains in place with modest 700mb winds (25-35 kts). The next
best chance for strong winds will be Sunday night with about a 60%
chance for wind gusts to 50 mph for the Livingston/Nye areas. Big
Timber to Harlowton has about a 40% chance fo gusts to 50 mph.
Into Monday, ensembles bring a shortwave disturbance through to
the north, bringing a small chance (less than 20%) for
precipitation in southeast MT.
Higher heights in place will keep temperatures above average with
mostly dry conditions. Ridging will be most prominent Thursday,
likely making it the warmest day of the week. Currently there is a
40-80% chance for high temperatures of at least 70 degrees for
south central MT and Sheridan Co, WY. With these very warm, dry
and breezy conditions, there will be an elevated concern for grass
fires. Take care to not cause a spark through this next week.
High temperatures will be in the 40s to low 60s through the period
with Thursday being the warmest (moderate to high chance for
highs 70+ degrees). TS
.AVIATION...
An area of mixed precipitation (rain, freezing rain, and snow) is
expected to impact eastern Montana into this morning, producing
MVFR conditions. This includes airfields around and east of K1S3,
KMLS, KBHK, K97M, and K00F. With this, impacts from freezing rain
is between 07z to 15z. As the sun comes up and winds mix down,
temperatures will warm above freezing at the surface and the
precipitation will exit the region.
Strong winds will impact the western foothills through about mid
day today, with wind gusts of 40-55 kts from KLVM to K6S0 and
K3HT. Around and east of KBIL, strong winds a few thousand feet
off the surface will result in low-level wind shear into this morning
before winds mix down mid-day. West to northwest winds will spread
across the lower elevations today with wind gusts of 20-35 kts for
most areas. STP
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Tdy Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 060 035/060 035/056 034/055 033/059 038/064 032/058
0/N 00/B 00/U 00/B 00/B 00/U 00/U
LVM 053 034/057 033/049 032/050 032/057 035/060 033/057
0/N 00/B 00/N 10/B 00/B 00/U 00/U
HDN 060 029/059 032/056 030/055 028/060 035/064 027/056
1/N 00/B 00/U 11/B 00/B 00/U 00/U
MLS 051 026/047 029/051 027/049 026/053 035/058 027/047
1/N 00/B 01/B 01/B 00/B 00/U 00/U
4BQ 052 029/055 032/052 029/049 028/055 036/060 028/052
2/R 00/B 00/B 11/B 00/B 00/U 00/U
BHK 045 022/042 024/045 022/042 022/047 030/051 023/043
3/R 00/B 01/B 11/B 00/B 00/U 00/B
SHR 053 027/057 028/052 026/049 026/056 032/062 027/056
0/N 00/B 00/B 12/O 10/B 00/U 00/U
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 11 AM MST this
morning FOR ZONES 31>33-36-37.
Wind Advisory in effect until 11 AM MST this morning FOR
ZONES 65-66.
High Wind Warning in effect until 2 PM MST this afternoon FOR
ZONES 141-172-228.
WY...None.
&&
weather.gov/billingsPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Billings MT
453 AM MST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0125 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 13 SW Washoe 45.03N 109.41W
01/31/2026 M66 MPH Carbon MT Mesonet
Mesonet station TT839 Quad Creek (RAWS).
1212 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 17 NE Wilsall 46.16N 110.38W
01/31/2026 M56 MPH Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station TT453 Crazy.
1230 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Judith Gap 46.69N 109.75W
01/31/2026 M53 MPH Wheatland MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTJUD Judith Gap (MT DOT).
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Billings MT
637 AM MST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 9 N Limestone 45.58N 109.88W
01/31/2026 M54 MPH Sweet Grass MT Mesonet
Mesonet station DBYM8 Derby Mountain.
0418 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 18 S Fort Smith 45.07N 107.89W
01/31/2026 M53 MPH Big Horn MT Mesonet
Mesonet station BHMM8 Bighorn Mountain.
0555 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SSW Big Timber 45.80N 109.97W
01/31/2026 M51 MPH Sweet Grass MT AWOS
AWOS station K6S0 Big Timber.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Pompey's Creek gusted to 58 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1315933.