High Wind in Judith Basin County and Judith Gap, Montana

Montana mesonet station Judith Gap acejudit measured many gusts in excess of 58 mph, with a peak gust of 72 mph. The site also measured sustained winds, averaged over 90 minutes, of 40 mph. Other sites within this zone to gust to 58 mph or greater include Wundergound sensor KMTGEYSE7 Red Barn (61 mph), mesonet station Geyser MTGYS (MT DOT) (62 mph), mesonet station MTM09 Moccasin (67 mph), mesonet station MTM47 MDA - Benchland (67 mph), and AWOS station K1CM Charlie (68 mph).

A robust trough digging southeastward from the Pacific Northwest brought a belt of strong mid and low-level westerly flow across the majority of the region December 18. Given the favorable timing of the strongest flow and cold front, winds were easily able to mix to the surface. A respectable pressure gradient also developed across the area, which helped a few sites reach high sustained winds. In northeastern areas the wind took longer to develop, eventually needing the surface low to pull away from AB toward SK. This propelled a front through the area that brought both strong winds as well as rain that fell onto very cold surfaces, resulting in slick roads.