High Wind — Northern High Plains, Montana

2024-11-04 · Northern High Plains, Montana

Event narrative

Montana mesonet station acedoggu Dog Gun Lake measured a 71 mph gust. MT DOT sensor at Two Medicine Bridge (MTBRN) measured a 68 mph gust. The DOT sensor also measured sustained winds, averaged over an hour, of 49 mph. Finally, MT DOT sensor MTBWG Browning measured a 60 mph gust.

Wider weather episode

Strong mid level winds associated with a passing shortwave combined with two cold fronts (One Pacific and one Canadian), to result in two separate periods of strong winds, initially along the Rocky Mountain Front, but over portions of the plains as well later in the event. Behind the second Canadian cold front, northwesterly upslope snow developed across island ranges and in the Little Belts, which resulted in the greatest snow total for the event. Locations on the plains between Belt and Stanford also observed heavy snow. Additional heavy snow was observed further south across the Madison and Gallatin Ranges as westerly and eventually northwesterly flow allowed for a steady, but accumulating snow. A Blizzard Warning was also issued for the Rocky Mountain Front during portions of this period, but the period of strongest winds did not end up coinciding with falling snow, hence these potential impacts were never observed.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1216058. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.