High Wind in Meagher, Montana

Lennep mesonet reports wind gust of 70 MPH.

Winds began to increase over North-Central and Southwestern Montana early on Sunday February 21 as a strong upper level jet roared overhead. Winds were generally strongest and most persistent across the plains during the day on Sunday, thanks to a strong pressure gradient that developed along the Rocky Mountain Front. After seeing widespread wind gusts over 60 mph, with isolated gusts in excess of 80 mph, during the day on Sunday, winds would generally begin to decrease late Sunday and early Monday closer to the Rocky Mountain Front, though winds around the Lewistown and Fort Belknap areas peaked early Monday morning, when some wind damage occurred in these areas. Winds area-wide would be a bit lighter during the day on Monday, but a final push of higher winds occurred late Monday night as a cold front pushed through the area.

In addition to causing some damage across the plains, the strong winds also combined with a fairly fresh snowpack, which resulted in areas of intense blowing snow, which caused blizzard conditions along the Rocky Mountain Front. Areas of blowing snow also occurred in the Lewistown area, which would result in the closure of highway 191 between Harlowton and Judith Gap, but not before numerous traffic incidents had occurred.