Windstorm hits Helena: County issues emergency declaration 'to help our community recover'

Updated at 8:45 p.m.

The Lewis and Clark County Board of Commissioners has issued an emergency declaration in response to Wednesday's high wind event that caused widespread damage throughout the county.

The damage included downed trees, power lines and traffic signage, "creating hazardous conditions and disruptions to essential services," states the announcement from the county.

“This storm has caused widespread damage that will take a lot of time and effort to clean up,” said Kyle Sturgill-Simon, Lewis and Clark County emergency manager. “The emergency declaration is the first step in getting additional resources to help our community recover.”

Wind continues to down power lines; gusts expected through midnight

Updated 4:50 p.m.

The gusty winds that have persisted across western Montana on Wednesday continue to topple trees and power lines in Helena heading into the evening hours, affecting high-trafficked parts of town as people head home from work for the day.

Downed lines closed the intersection at North Montana Avenue and Custer Avenue, a highly used thoroughfare, around 4 p.m. and police were asking drivers to avoid the area.

The city of Helena closed the Walking Mall from 6th Avenue to Broadway Street due to potential falling debris and urged pedestrians in the adjacent area to use caution.

In the police department’s 4 p.m. calls for service report, there were 72 instances on Wednesday in which the fire department was called to an address for downed power lines. Poweroutage.us reported just more than 4,000 customers were without power in Lewis and Clark County as of 4:15 p.m.

Wind gusts so far Wednesday topped out at 81 miles per hour at the Helena Regional Airport, but were sustained in the area between 30 and 50 mph, with gusts up to 75 mph north of Birdseye.

A high wind warning remains in effect until midnight, as westerly winds from 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 75 mph, are expected until then, the National Weather Service said Wednesday afternoon.

NorthWestern Energy said just before 5 p.m. more than 35,000 customers in Montana experienced an outage at some point Wednesday.

"NorthWestern Energy crews and contractors are working together to restore service as quickly and safely as possible," the company said in a statement.

'Dangerous situation'

Updated at 2 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Great Falls issued an emergency message for all of Lewis and Clark County saying damaging winds in the Helena Valley and along the Rocky Mountain Front will intensify through 4 p.m.

Wind gusts could exceed 90 miles per hour along the Rocky Mountain Front and could reach 80 miles an hour across the valley.

"This system has a history of producing widespread power outages and repairs may not be possible until the winds subside overnight," forecasters said just after noon Wednesday.

A snow squall warning was issued at 1 p.m. for east-central Lewis and Clark and Cascade counties because a snow squall running from Great Falls down to near Wolf Creek was moving eastward in excess of 100 miles per hour. Blowing snow was creating whiteout conditions in the area, the NWS said.

High wind warnings remain in effect until midnight across most of western Montana.

“This is a dangerous situation! This windstorm will be reminiscent of the January 2021 windstorm,” forecasters wrote Wednesday afternoon.

The winds did not spare tractor trailers traveling regional interstates.

"This morning on I-15 South near mile marker 199, two semi-trucks with trailers caught the wind and rolled," reported Kylie Gibson, a spokesperson for the Montana Highway Patrol.

"Both trailers were safely removed from the interstate, and luckily there were no injuries," Gibson said. "Drivers passing by can expect to see those trailers on the side of the highway until tomorrow morning, as the winds are too dangerous to keep hauling them."

The city of Helena urged residents to use extreme caution when out and about Wednesday, and to consider delaying or postponing travel and outdoor recreation.

Here is what residents should to do report damaged trees:

• For trees blocking the road or impacting power lines, please call 911 dispatch.
• After the storm has passed, please report hanging branches or damaged boulevard trees through the My Helena App or call 406-447-8426.
• After the storm has passed, down trees across trails in the city’s open land parks should be reported to the assistant open lands manager at twock@helenamt.gov.

Public schools to release early; gusts topple trucks, trees

Updated 12:25 p.m.

Helena Public Schools will release students early Wednesday, at 12:30 p.m. for middle schools and 1 p.m. for elementary and high schools, due to extreme wind gusts hitting the city that are expected to persist into the evening.

The district said it was releasing students early out of an abundance of caution during the hazardous weather event. Students who walk home will not be allowed to leave on foot and a parent, guardian or emergency contact will have to pick them up at school.

Bus drivers won’t release a student at their stop unless a parent, guardian or designated person is there to meet them. They will be brought back to their school if no one is present, the district said.

After-school practices, clubs and extracurricular activities are canceled for Wednesday. School staff will remain at each school until every student has been picked up or met at a bus stop, according to Helena Public Schools.

Helena Public School #1 Transportation said if there are any Rossiter Elementary students who ride the bus whose parents cannot meet them, the students will be taken to Jim Darcy Elementary.

“The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. We thank you for you cooperation and patience as we work to get everyone home safely,” administrators said in a Facebook post.

East Helena Public Schools Superintendent Dan Rispens said at noon the district was planning to run its regular schedule and bus routes, but parents are asked to meet their child at the bus stop. Elementary students are being advised not to walk home. Parents of K-8 schools will be allowed to pick their child up from school at any time on Wednesday, Rispens said. Parents of high schoolers can excuse their students if they drive themselves.

Elementary students will have indoor recess, and middle and high school activities and practices will operate as normal, but students may also be excused of they wish.

Wind gusts topping 50 miles per hour downed trees and power lines across the Helena area and toppled semi-trucks on Interstate 15 Wednesday morning.

Southbound I-15 was shut down at Lincoln Road around 11 a.m. after a truck blew over, blocking the lanes of traffic. A similar rollover was reported just north of that crash that blocked the left lane of traffic, according to the state Department of Transportation. Hazardous driving conditions were reported from Helena north to Cascade due mainly to the wind.

Fire and police crews have been responding to fallen trees and downed power lines throughout the morning. The gusty winds racing across Montana Wednesday hit the Helena area in the 10 a.m. hour.

The Helena Regional Airport reported 68 mph gusts just before noon and wind gusts have topped out at 79 miles per hour there as of midday.

Gusts topping 45 miles per hour have been reported across the west side, South Hills and valley. Winds were gusting to 54 mph just before noon atop MacDonald Pass.

The damaging winds followed a cold front that moved through the area Wednesday morning, causing damage across western Montana. The winds are expected to taper off in the late evening hours, according to the National Weather Service.

This is a developing story that will be updated.