The National Weather Service in Great Falls issued a rare civil emergency message on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, as a destructive windstorm pummeled Montana from one end of the state to the other, with some of the strongest gusts recorded in central Montana.

The weather service expected wind gusts greater than 90 mph in Pondera, Teton, and Lewis & Clark counties, prompting the emergency alert that activated the wireless emergency alert system to send warnings directly to cellphones.

Rare emergency alert issued as destructive windstorm batters Montana

“It can be used for weather or non-weather reasons. The primary reason why we deployed it today was to activate the wireless emergency alert system – WEA. That will allow these alerts to go to a person’s cellphone to take immediate action,” said Maura Casey, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The civil emergency message was the first issued by the weather service since December 2020, during a similar wind and dust storm between Great Falls and Havre. The National Weather Service coordinates with county emergency managers to decide when to issue this rare alert.

What made Wednesday’s event particularly widespread was its prolonged nature and the strength of the accompanying cold front.

“This belt of wind came from the west and with how strong the cold front was accompanying it, it was able to reach down to the surface. What makes this event unique is it’s more of a prolonged wind event. It’s the entire day that we’re experiencing these strong winds,” Casey said.

The windstorm didn’t just hit the plains. Some typically protected mountain valleys experienced destructive wind gusts, with 70 to 80 mph gusts recorded in the Helena and Gallatin valleys.

“The more complex topography make it a little bit difficult south of Great Falls. In this case, because we had that belt of winds that came right over Helena and Bozeman – they essentially had a closer access to that wind,” Casey said.

The powerful winds toppled semi trucks and trees across the region, and knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of people across the state.

Windstorm damage across Montana

The destructive winds stem from an extremely active weather pattern that has been pummeling the Pacific Northwest with flooding rains, heavy mountain snow and high winds.

“We remain in the same very active Pacific weather pattern. While we have high confidence – maybe not as strong as today- but we will get more wind events in the coming weeks,” Casey said.

The weather service recommends staying prepared by keeping up with the latest forecast, especially given the active pattern that doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

This article has been lightly edited with the assistance of AI for clarity, syntax, and grammar.

(Update 11:00 a.m.)

• All lanes closed on US-93 near Evaro due to fallen trees.
• All lanes closed on MT-200 east of Bonner due to fallen trees.

(Update 10:40 a.m.) The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office has issued an emergency wind and travel warning for the Bitterroot.

The warning states that “due to extreme winds, which are causing trees to fall into roadways and taking down power lines, as well as creating very dangerous driving conditions, the RCSO is advising that people not travel until the wind event decreases.”

High-profile vehicles should not travel in Ravalli County at this time.

Ravalli County 911 is also currently being overwhelmed with calls. Residents are asked to only report immediate emergencies to 911.

The Ravalli County Emergency Operations Center is open. To report non-emergent storm-related events in the Bitterroot, you’re asked to call the EOC at 406-375-6650.

(Update 10:15 a.m.) The reports of damage around Western Montana are rolling in Wednesday morning as thousands remain without power, especially in the northwestern corner.

As trees topple across the area, officials are urging travelers to use caution.

Trees have blocked access to several roads in the region. Here’s the road report as of 10 a.m.:

• MT-35 is CLOSED from milepost 2.8 to 6
• Southbound lanes are blocked on US-93 north of Somers due to a semi blow over
• Tree down and blocking southbound lanes on US-93 near Ronan
• Tree blocking all lanes on MT-35 east of Polson.
• Power lines down blocking on lanes on US-2 west of Marion.
• Severe driving conditions on US-12 from Lolo to Lolo Pass due to downed trees

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office issued a notice at 9:40 a.m. that the county is under emergency travel only.

To the south, the Missoula Police Department requested necessary travel only in the city.

The Frenchtown Rural Fire District put out a public service announcement asking people to stay home and off the roads.

Power outages are still impacting several areas of Western Montana too.

NorthWestern Energy’s outage map at 10:10 a.m. showed hundreds of customers were in the dark in Missoula, Mineral, and Sanders counties. Flathead Electric shows thousands of people without power in Flathead and Lincoln counties.

Traffic signals are out in the City of Kalispell. All intersections with dark stoplights must be treated as a 4-way stop.

• Come to a complete stop
• Take turns — first to stop goes first
• Yield to pedestrians
• Proceed slowly and cautiously

Kalispell’s popular Woodland Park is closed due to heavy winds and hazardous conditions.

The weather has closed the following schools for Wednesday (this list will be updated):

• Clinton
• Frenchtown
• Libby
• Marion
• Noxon
• Pleasant Valley
• St. Regis
• Superior
• Troy
• West Glacier

High winds tore off the roof of Jefferson School in Missoula. The school is not currently serving students.

This article will be updated throughout the day. Please follow KPAX’s Facebook page for the latest information too.

(Update 9:45 a.m.)

• MT-35 is CLOSED from milepost 2.8 to 6.
• Southbound lanes are blocked on US-93 north of Somers due to a semi blow over.

(Update 9:15 a.m.) Montana Department of Transportation reporting several new incidents.

• Tree down and blocking southbound lanes on US-93 near Ronan
• Tree blocking all lanes on MT-35 east of Polson.
• Power lines down blocking on lanes on US-2 west of Marion.
• Severe driving conditions on US-12 from Lolo to Lolo Pass due to downed trees.

(Update 9:08 a.m.) Hazardous conditions are wreaking havoc across the City of Missoula causing the Missoula Police Department to ask the community to only travel if absolutely necessary.

In a press release at 9:10 a.m., MPD stated that high winds have created dangerous conditions, including reduced vehicle control, blowing debris, and the potential for downed trees and power lines.

If you cannot avoid traveling right now, you’re asked to:

• Reduce speed
• Be alert for debris in roadways
• Watch for downed trees, power lines, and damaged traffic signals
• Avoid parking near trees or unstable structures

Do not touch anything, including a tree, that may be in contact with power lines. If you see a downed power line, you’re asked to call NorthWestern Energy at 888-467-2669.

For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergency assistance, contact the Missoula Police Department at 406-552-6300.

(Update 9:03 a.m.) A MEANS alert for Missoula County for drivers to be cautious driving due to high winds, several hazards and extreme conditions.

(UPDATE 8:55 a.m.)
Frenchtown School District has cancelled school. Parents should pick up their student from the school to ensure they are supervised and safe as they transition back home. If parents are unable to pick students up, buses will run at 10:00 to return students home. Phones are also out at the South Campus.

(UPDATE: 8:28 a.m.) The storm is hitting Sanders County hard.

Just after 8 a.m., the Community Ambulance Service of W. Sanders Co. posted that power is out in parts of the area and that strong winds are creating extremely dangerous conditions.

Live power lines are across roads, there are reports of falling trees and debris, and some travel routes have become impassable.

Officials are telling people to not travel unless it’s absolutely necessary. School in Noxon has been canceled.

Meanwhile in Mineral County, St. Regis Schools and the Superior School District have also canceled classes.

Due to fallen power lines, Superior Schools will not send the buses back out.

School officials are asking families to pick up their students Wednesday morning. If you’re unable to do so, you’re asked to call Logan Labbe 406-822-2285 to make accommodations.

(1st Report – 8:20 a.m.) The strong Pacific cold front that is moving through Washington has now arrived in Western Montana Wednesday morning.

Power outages have already been reported all across Western Montana including the Interstate 90 corridor from Lookout Pass to Alberton and in Northwest Montana, thousands of residents are without power in the Libby and surrounding areas. For updates on outages check Northwestern Energy Outage map and Flathead Electric Co-Op outage viewers.

Northwestern Energy

There is also reports of road hazards. According to the Montana Department of Transportation a powerline is down on Highway 56 near Noxon. Several trees are also down across Highway 56 between Troy and Noxon.

Interstate 90 westbound lanes at mm 15, west of Superior, are blocked due to downed trees.

MDT

Click here for live map of road closures.

Stay with KPAX for updates on this storm throughout the day.

Nick Vertz suspected calm weather wouldn’t soon return after last week’s high-speed wind event that recorded 101-mph winds in Glacier County. The Billings-based National Weather Service forecaster said Montanans should expect exceptionally strong gusts Tuesday night and Wednesday.

“I joke that the weather’s just playing catch up with how mild of a fall and start to the winter we had,” Vertz told Montana Free Press on Tuesday. 

Nearly the entire state is under an official high-wind warning, meaning the weather service expects wind speeds of 58 mph or greater. While the official warning status may vary by region, the weather service anticipates the strong winds will move west to east through late Wednesday evening.

Winds aloft, higher altitude gusts that generally exceed wind speeds on the surface, are both unusually powerful and relatively low in altitude. Vertz says high-speed winds aloft blowing downward is the result of warm weather.

“You can think of it as pushing those strong winds aloft down to reach the surface,” Vertz said. 

Though much of Montana experienced a similar strong-wind pattern last week, Vertz said this system  is a statewide event and that the weather service has “more confidence in those stronger winds to occur just all across the board.”

With gusts coming out of the northwest, Vertz advised caution for drivers headed north or south, who would likely experience the “full brunt of those crosswinds.”

Montana’s most recent experience with a major wind event on a similar scale occurred in January 2021, according to Vertz.

Ongoing flooding in northwest Montana makes the area particularly vulnerable to high-wind hazards, like saturated soil around tree roots, according to Bryan Conlan, a weather service meteorologist based out of Missoula. 

“Anywhere within western Montana at this point, with these strong to damaging winds, trees could blow over,” Conlan said.

Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday requested President Donald Trump issue a presidential disaster declaration in response to the flooding in the northwest part of the state. 

As even more ocean moisture makes its way from the Pacific Northwest into Montana via “atmospheric rivers,” precipitation is likely to continue in western Montana.

“One of the differences between this and the prior system is there will be a very strong cold front that’ll be coming along,” Conlan said. 

A cold front on Wednesday will mix with moisture from the atmospheric river, producing a combination of rain and snow. Cold air also leads to winds aloft descending, resulting in strong wind across high elevations in western Montana. On Monday night, winds in Glacier National Park reached almost 100 mph.

“This is going to be a fairly strong event,” Conlan said.

Nora Mabie contributed to this reporting.