High Wind — Southern High Plains, Montana

2024-10-04 · Southern High Plains, Montana

Event narrative

Multiple sensors measured gusts of or in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 72 mph at AWOS K1GM Golf. Other sensors that measured gusts at or above 58 mph include the following: Mesonet station MTBOW (MT DOT) Bowmans Corner, mesonet station MTPEN (MT DOT) Pendroy, mesonet station MCBMT Mcbranty MCSCN, AWOS station K1FM Foxtrot, mesonet station DELMT Dellwo MCSCN, and Mesonet station DVI01084 Dupuyer 9 miles SW of Dupuyer.

Wider weather episode

A robust shortwave shifting eastward from the Pacific Northwest eclipsed the Northern Rockies during the day October 4. At the surface, a surface trough slowly increased in magnitude through the day before ejecting eastward as a surface low late afternoon. As the surface low pulled away, a strong cold front (Aided by 50-70kt winds within the first few thousand feet of the surface) swept across the region. Mechanical mixing allowed for multiple 70+ mph gusts to be realized at the surface, even with the front passing after sunset for most locations.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1209480. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.