High-speed winds nearing 100 mph tore through much of western Montana on Wednesday, toppling trees, power lines and — at least in one instance — scraping off parts of a roof at an elementary school building in Missoula.
Social media accounts from across much of the state featured dramatic photos of flattened trees, blown-over semitrucks, and impacted vehicles. Utility companies reported widespread power outages from northwest Montana to Livingston; on Wednesday afternoon the Flathead Electric Cooperative alone reported 30,625 customers without power.
In an update posted to social media around 10 a.m., the National Weather Service’s Missoula office reported that morning gusts had clocked in between 59 and 73 mph in Butte, Plains, Missoula, Kalispell and two locations in Idaho. The outlier on that list was a 96-mph gust at Mount Aeneas in the Flathead National Forest.
Forecasts predicted more high-speed winds coming through western and central Montana, including along the Hi-Line in the afternoon. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service’s Great Falls office said winds could reach up to 100 mph.
“The second push of high winds is now arriving along the Rocky Mountain Front. Wind gusts 90-100 mph are possible in Lewis & Clark, Teton, and Pondera counties with up to 80-90 mph across the Golden Triangle,” the office said in a midday Facebook post.
Helena Public Schools announced the district would be releasing students early to avoid dismissal during high afternoon winds “to ensure the safety of our students — particularly those who walk home or ride buses — from potential flying debris and hazardous travel conditions.”
In a post on Facebook around noon, the district said that after-school events and activities would also be canceled. The district directed parents to meet children at bus stops or pick them up in person, stating that students who typically walk home would not be allowed to leave on foot.
Butte also closed its schools at 11 a.m., citing concerns about student safety because of the high winds. Butte High also canceled its Christmas concert set for Wednesday night.
While going southbound on I-15 en route to Butte on Wednesday morning, one driver reported running into a downed cable stretched across multiple lanes, tearing the hood up from his car.
“The wind picked up and the sleeting snow caused visibility [issues]. Then out of nowhere we saw the cable about 2-3 ft off the ground and we hit the brakes,” Ken Iwen told Montana Free Press in a Wednesday text message. “Hit the cable and it ripped our hood off, luckily we were able to get pulled over safely.”
Iwen, who owns a Helena car mechanic shop, said he was worried that the cable could have gone under the truck and interfered with his steering controls. On the other hand, Iwen surmised that the hood could have also “saved us from the cable going through the glass.”
“We are definitely very lucky,” Iwen said.
In Missoula, a public school building not currently in use for district students had a layer of roof peeled off by morning gusts, spokesperson Jennifer Savage said in a Wednesday interview with Montana Free Press.
Savage said the district had so far decided against closures or sending students home early, citing advice from first responders.
“Their take was the safest place for kids right now is in school,” she said, noting that most schools with younger students had been advised to have indoor recess.
In Helena, city urban forestry supervisor Chris Daly advised residents to carefully assess downed trees and branches to see if they are close to power lines. “Do not approach it or get anywhere near it” if power lines are visible, Daly said.
His team and other city employees will begin assessing damage to clear obstructions as soon as it’s safe, Daly said, adding that he did not have a prediction of how long clean-up could last.
“At this point I have no idea,” Daly said. After a recent October storm, he said, it “took us like three weeks to get everything cleaned up.”
Local residents can try to drag any downed limbs or trees from roads and sidewalks if there are no other hazards, Daly said. But he advised against using chainsaws or other high-intensity tools on downed trees.
“The thing that comes along with storms is these trees can be under tension,” Daly said. “I’ve seen trees literally blow up when you cut into it with a chainsaw.”
In a Wednesday afternoon email to news outlets, a spokesperson for the city of Missoula said that emergency responders were in the process of clearing downed trees and responding to 911 calls, and that power utilities are attending to downed power lines.
“Residents who can wait to clear tree debris from private property until after the storm should do so,” said communications director Ginny Merriam. “… Please don’t forget to check on your neighbors.”
Katie Fairbanks contributed reporting.
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