High Wind in Fergus County Below 4500ft, Montana

Multiple sensors measured strong winds in the eastern half of Fergus county, including AWOS station N Bar Ranch KMVH which measured a 66 mph gust. Other sensors that measured criteria winds/gusts include AWOS station K1OM Oscar, mesonet station MTBCH Beacon Hill, and Montana mesonet stations Forestgrove N and Roy E.

A strengthening upper level trough across CA and vicinity sent an embedded wave northeastward toward the Northern Rockies Feb 17, which resulted in surface low pressure developing and moving across Southwest Montana. This resulted in a strong cold front progressing through the area, bringing brief snow squalls, synoptic high winds, localized impactful snow, and very cold wind chills to various portions of the region into Feb 18.