The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a High Wind Warning beginning Friday afternoon, September 26 at 5:00 PM and running through 6:00 AM Saturday, September 27. A follow-up warning then extended coverage from early Friday morning through noon that same day, covering the same region.
The warnings applied to Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera counties, along with the Northern and Southern High Plains. Forecasters called for westerly winds of 30 to 50 mph with gusts up to 70 mph — conditions capable of making travel dangerous, particularly for high-profile vehicles like semis, campers, and trailers.
NWS Great Falls urged residents to secure any loose objects that could be blown around or damaged. The two overlapping warnings — one issued September 25 at 2:54 AM and another September 26 at 4:17 AM — indicate forecasters were tracking the wind event closely as it developed. While the warnings covered counties to the north and east of Helena, high wind events on the northern plains frequently affect travel on Interstate 15 and Highway 89 corridors used by Lewis and Clark County residents.