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

2026-01-11 to 2026-01-12 · Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera, Montana

Event narrative

ASOS station KCTB Cut Bank Airport measured a 69 mph wind gust an averaged a high sustained wind of 41 mph on the 11th between 7:50 PM and 8:50PM MST. A few other stations also reported high wind gusts and sustained winds during this period. There was also a public report of a trailer tipped over 9 NW of Ledger.

Wider weather episode

An upper-level disturbance moving through the region brought strong winds aloft and strengthened the surface pressure gradient along the Rocky Mountain Front. This brought a period of high winds to the Rocky Mountain Front on the 11th. These stronger winds aloft progressed east across the plains on the 12th, which brought high winds to North-Central MT, primarily along the Montana Highway 200 Corridor.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1304946. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.