High Wind — Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera, Montana

2024-12-06 to 2024-12-07 · Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera, Montana

Event narrative

ASOS station KCTB Cut Bank Airport measured multiple gusts in excess of 60 mph, including a peak gust of 66 mph. Additionally, Montana mesonet station Mission Lake measured sustained winds averaged over an hour of 42 mph on top of a 62 mph gust.

Wider weather episode

An upper level ridge across the Northern Rockies was flattened by a potent shortwave over Dec 6-8 timeframe. Initially stout zonal mid-level flow was aided by a strengthening pressure gradient to result in quite a few strong winds gusts over the multi-day period. Adequate moistures resulted in locally heavy snow along the Rocky Mountain Front and into Central Montana by Dec 9.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1221608. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.