High Wind in North Rocky Mountain Front, Montana

MDT Two Medicine Bridge station measured a 68 kt (78 mph) non-thunderstorm wind gust.

The new year began with an Arctic Air mass over the region, powered by a 1028 mb surface high. Temperatures plunged below zero as northerly winds were just strong enough to produce dangerous wind chills down to 40 below zero along the Hi-Line. Milder westerly flow quickly replaced this air mass and brought strong gusty surface winds to much of north-central MT. Temperatures along the Rocky Mountain Front remained below freezing, resulting in widespread ground blizzard conditions over the East Glacier and Browning areas. The strong surface winds were mostly over the plains resulting from 50kt+ 700 mb westerly flow, but there was a brief period of strong southwesterly flow over the southwest that brought criteria magnitudes to Madison County. Another surge of Arctic air moved into the region again after the high winds subsided.