Weather Warnings for Montana

Issued by the National Weather Service

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Montana
Alerts Updated: March 19, 2026, 8:22 pm  UTC


High Wind Warning issued March 19 at 2:22PM MDT until March 20 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT

Summary: * WHAT...For the first High Wind Warning through this evening, southwest winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 85 mph. For the second High Wind Warning in effect from Friday morning through noon Saturday, southwest winds 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 85 mph expected. * WHERE...The Montana Hi-Line adjacent to the Rocky Mountain Front, and Southern High Plains. * WHEN...For the first High Wind Warning, until midnight MDT tonight. For the second High Wind Warning, from 6 AM Friday to noon MDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property, and cause isolated power outages. Travel could be difficult to dangerous, especially for high profile or light weight vehicles.
Severity:  Severe    Effective:  March 19, 2026, 2:22 pm      Expires:  March 20, 2026, 5:30 am
Area:  East Glacier Park Region; Northern High Plains; Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera; Southern High Plains


High Wind Warning issued March 19 at 2:22PM MDT until March 21 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT

Summary: * WHAT...For the first High Wind Warning through this evening, southwest winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 85 mph. For the second High Wind Warning in effect from Friday morning through noon Saturday, southwest winds 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 85 mph expected. * WHERE...The Montana Hi-Line adjacent to the Rocky Mountain Front, and Southern High Plains. * WHEN...For the first High Wind Warning, until midnight MDT tonight. For the second High Wind Warning, from 6 AM Friday to noon MDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property, and cause isolated power outages. Travel could be difficult to dangerous, especially for high profile or light weight vehicles.
Severity:  Severe    Effective:  March 19, 2026, 2:22 pm      Expires:  March 20, 2026, 5:30 am
Area:  East Glacier Park Region; Northern High Plains; Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera; Southern High Plains


High Wind Warning issued March 19 at 2:22PM MDT until March 21 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT

Summary: * WHAT...West winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 85 mph expected. * WHERE...Upper Blackfoot and MacDonald Pass and Southern Rocky Mountain Front. * WHEN...From 6 AM Friday to noon MDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property and cause power outages. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
Severity:  Severe    Effective:  March 19, 2026, 2:22 pm      Expires:  March 20, 2026, 5:30 am
Area:  Southern Rocky Mountain Front; Upper Blackfoot and MacDonald Pass


High Wind Warning issued March 19 at 2:22PM MDT until March 21 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT

Summary: * WHAT...West winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph expected. * WHERE...Cascade County, including the Little Belt and Highwood Mountains, Judith Basin County and Judith Gap, Fergus County below 4500ft, and Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains. * WHEN...From 9 AM Friday to noon MDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property and cause power outages. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
Severity:  Severe    Effective:  March 19, 2026, 2:22 pm      Expires:  March 20, 2026, 5:30 am
Area:  Cascade County below 5000ft; Judith Basin County and Judith Gap; Fergus County below 4500ft; Little Belt and Highwood Mountains; Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains


Avalanche Watch issued March 19 at 11:44AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT

Summary: AVAMSO The following message is transmitted at the request of Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center Sandpoint ID. ...AVALANCHE WATCH ISSUED BY THE IDAHO PANHANDLE AVALANCHE CENTER... 16:00 PDT Thu Mar 19 2026 The Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center in Sandpoint has issued a BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WATCH for the following areas: NWS Missoula MT - MTZ001 (MTZ001) NWS Spokane WA - ID 017 (Bonner County)...ID 021 (Boundary County) * WHAT...The avalanche danger may rise to HIGH (Level 4of5) on Friday and into Saturday following multiple days of elevated freezing levels and heavy rain saturating the snowpack. * WHERE...The Selkirk Mountains, The West Cabinet Mountains, and the East Cabinet Mountains above 4,000 feet. * WHEN...In effect from Thu 16:00 PDT to Fri 07:00 PDT. * IMPACTS...Heavy rain over the next 24 to 36 hours will continue to wet an already saturated snowpack with multiple shallowly buried weak snow layers. Very dangerous avalanche conditions may develop in places that receive around 2 inches or more of rain. Widespread areas of wet unstable snow may develop across all aspects above 4,000 feet. As rain and meltwater percolate deeper into the snowpack, the potential could increase for avalanches to fail in layers more than 3 feet deep, resulting in very large and destructive avalanches. * PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...If the forecasted significant rainfall amounts are received, very dangerous avalanche conditions could quickly develop. Human-triggered avalanches may become very likely and large natural avalanches will be likely. Avalanches have the potential to entrain impressive amounts of debris and run long distances into mature forest, valley floors, or flat terrain. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Consult http://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org/ or www.avalanche.org for more detailed information. Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center.
Severity:  Unknown    Effective:  March 19, 2026, 11:44 am      Expires:  March 20, 2026, 11:00 am
Area:  Kootenai/Cabinet Region


Avalanche Warning issued March 19 at 6:04AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT

Summary: AVWMSO The following message is transmitted at the request of Flathead Avalanche Center Hungry Horse MT. ...AVALANCHE WARNING ISSUED BY THE FLATHEAD AVALANCHE CENTER... 06:00 MDT Thu Mar 19 2026 The Flathead Avalanche Center in Hungry Horse has issued a BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING for the following areas: NWS Missoula MT - MTZ001 (MTZ001)...MTZ002 (MTZ002) * WHAT...Rain and warm temperatures have created very dangerous avalanche conditions that will likely persist through Saturday. * WHERE...Slopes above 5,000 feet in the Whitefish, Swan, Flathead Ranges, and the Lake McDonald and Marias Pass areas of Glacier National Park.

* WHEN...In effect from Thu 06:00 MDT to Sat 06:00 MDT. * IMPACTS...Natural and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. Wet avalanches will entrain a dangerous amount of debris. Weak layers buried several feet deep may fail, resulting in very large and destructive avalanches. * PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Avalanches may run long distances and can run into mature forests, valley floors, or flat terrain. Consult http://www.flatheadavalanche.org/ or www.avalanche.org for more detailed information. Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center.
Severity:  Unknown    Effective:  March 19, 2026, 6:04 am      Expires:  March 21, 2026, 6:00 am
Area:  Kootenai/Cabinet Region; West Glacier Region


Avalanche Warning issued March 19 at 6:04AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT

Summary: AVWMSO The following message is transmitted at the request of Flathead Avalanche Center Hungry Horse MT. ...AVALANCHE WARNING ISSUED BY THE FLATHEAD AVALANCHE CENTER... 06:00 MDT Thu Mar 19 2026 The Flathead Avalanche Center in Hungry Horse has issued a BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING for the following areas: NWS Missoula MT - MTZ001 (MTZ001)...MTZ002 (MTZ002) * WHAT...Rain and warm temperatures have created very dangerous avalanche conditions that will likely persist through Saturday. * WHERE...Slopes above 5,000 feet in the Whitefish, Swan, Flathead Ranges, and the Lake McDonald and Marias Pass areas of Glacier National Park.

* WHEN...In effect from Thu 06:00 MDT to Sat 06:00 MDT. * IMPACTS...Natural and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. Wet avalanches will entrain a dangerous amount of debris. Weak layers buried several feet deep may fail, resulting in very large and destructive avalanches. * PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Avalanches may run long distances and can run into mature forests, valley floors, or flat terrain. Consult http://www.flatheadavalanche.org/ or www.avalanche.org for more detailed information. Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center.
Severity:  Unknown    Effective:  March 19, 2026, 6:04 am      Expires:  March 20, 2026, 6:00 am
Area:  Kootenai/Cabinet Region; West Glacier Region