Very strong winds aloft combined with a favorable environment to allow severe wind gusts to reach the ground.  A sudden snow shower which moved through the area, was especially helpful in bringing many wind gusts in excess of 60 mph to the surface for many locations.

High Wind in LITTLE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 16:15:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:30:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

At the BLM Zortman East mesonet site (MTM38), wind gusts of at least 58 mph were measured multiple times from 4:15 PM through 9:30 PM.  The peak wind gust of 61 mph was recorded at 6:15 PM.

High Wind in CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 19:53:00 to 04-JAN-20 20:50:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 57.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

At the Glasgow airport ASOS site (KGGW), the first severe wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at 7:53 PM.  Severe wind gusts continued for about the next hour, but there was a communications outage or some failure from the wind sensor, but NWS employees on shift were able to observe a maximum wind gust of 66 mph sometime between 8:18 PM and 8:50 PM. Times are estimated.  By the time the wind sensor came back online at 9:53 PM, the severe winds had already dissipated.

High Wind in LITTLE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 17:15:00 to 04-JAN-20 22:31:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

At the Malta South US-191 DOT site (MTMAL), sustained winds of at least 40 mph began at 5:15 PM and continued through 10:31 PM. The first severe wind gust (60 mph) was recorded at 5:20 PM.  The peak wind gust of 64 mph was recorded at 6:30 PM.

High Wind in CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 19:44:00 to 04-JAN-20 20:44:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 55.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: RAWS

At the King Coulee RAWS site (KIGM8), the first verifying wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at 7:44 PM, and the peak wind gust of 63 mph was recorded at 8:44 PM.

High Wind in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 20:38:00 to 04-JAN-20 20:38:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

At the Cow Creek MT-13 DOT site (MTCOW), a single verifying peak wind gust of 58 mph was measured at 8:38 PM.

High Wind in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 21:10:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:25:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

At the Circle Town County Airport mesonet site (KU46), the first verifying wind gust of 59 mph was recorded at 9:10 PM, and the peak wind gust of 62 mph was recorded at 9:25 PM.

High Wind in RICHLAND, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 21:26:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:26:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

At the NDAWN station, 1 NW Sidney, a 62 mph wind gust was measured at 9:26 PM.

High Wind in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 21:33:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:44:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 55.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

At the Lindsay Divide MT-200 DOT site (MTLND), the first verifying wind gust of 60 mph was measured at 9:33 PM, and peak wind gusts of 63 mph were measured from 9:38 PM through 9:44 PM.

High Wind in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 21:56:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:56:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

At the Glendive airport ASOS site (KGDV), a peak wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at 9:56 PM.

High Wind in WIBAUX, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 22:08:00 to 04-JAN-20 22:08:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 60.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

At the Beaver Hill I-94 DOT site (MTBVR), a peak wind gust of 69 mph was measured at 10:08 PM.

High Wind in CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 19:42:00 to 04-JAN-20 19:42:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

At 3 SE Glasgow, the public reported shingles blown off a roof.  Time and wind gust are estimated.

High Wind in GARFIELD, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 21:00:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained spotter 2 W Van Norman, reported old cottonwood trees blown over onto grain bins. Time and wind gust estimated.

High Wind in GARFIELD, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 18:38:00 to 04-JAN-20 18:56:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

At the Hillside MT-59 DOT site (MTHIL), the first verifying wind gust of 58 mph was measured at 6:38 PM, and the peak wind gust of 59 mph was measured at 6:56 PM.

High Wind in CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 19:45:00 to 04-JAN-20 20:15:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The mesonet site just west of Glasgow (MTM72), recorded a peak wind gust of 62 mph at 7:45 PM and a 61 mph wind gust at 8:15 PM.

High Wind in SHERIDAN, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 21:15:00 to 04-JAN-20 23:47:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 35.00 MS
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

At the Comertown Turn-Off MT-5 DOT site (MTCOM), sustained wind speeds of at least 40 mph were measured at least each hour for about two and one-half hours on the night of the 4th.

High Wind in RICHLAND, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 20:45:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

At the Badger Creek mesonet site (F2498), the peak wind gust of 61 mph was measured from 8:45 PM through 9:00 PM.

High Wind in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 22:45:00 to 04-JAN-20 23:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 55.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

At the BLM Glendive mesonet site (MTM28) at the southern edge of Dawson County, the first verifying wind gust of 61 mph was recorded at 10:45 PM, and the peak wind gust of 63 mph was recorded at 11:00 PM.

High Wind in GARFIELD, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 19:08:00 to 04-JAN-20 21:08:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: RAWS

At the South Sawmill Creek RAWS site (SSMM8), the peak wind gust of 64 mph was recorded at 7:08 PM, and a 62 mph wind gust was recorded at 9:08 PM.

High Wind in CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY, MONTANA
From 04-JAN-20 20:15:00 to 04-JAN-20 20:15:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

In the town of Fort Peck, an off-duty NWS employee, via Facebook, reported a diagonal break through the trunk of a younger deciduous tree.  Wind gusts of 65 mph estimated.