GREAT FALLS, MONTANA — A powerful windstorm on Wednesday created dangerous travel conditions across central and western Montana, flipping semi trucks, spilling fuel and oil, and triggering road closures and detours as officials urged drivers to park and residents to prepare for falling trees, power lines, and additional impacts.

One empty tractor-trailer traveling eastbound into Great Falls was blown onto its side by strong wind gusts. With no load inside, responders said there was nothing to keep the truck grounded. “There’s no weight, no load on those trucks, they’re just like parasails, they just tip over,” said Joe Benski with Benski Towing and Recovery, who responded to the scene.

Crews at the Great Falls crash site were tasked with recovering the overturned truck and handling a hazardous materials cleanup after fuel and oil spilled onto the roadway. Benski said, “We’re doing recovery and a hazmat cleanup right now, cleaning up all the fuel and the oil. We’ll be back later tonight to upright the tractor trailer when the wind dies down and get the road back open.”

The driver involved walked away with only minor cuts and bruises, but Benski warned that traveling in the wind was not worth the risk. “The first thing they should do is park right now. It’s too windy to be driving,” he said.

The Great Falls rollover was not an isolated incident. Other trucks and trailers across central Montana also toppled as winds intensified throughout the day, with gusts exceeding 100 miles per hour in some areas along the Rocky Mountain Front.

Photos and video received by MTN showed rollovers located just north of Dutton, one on Montana Highway 80 in Chouteau County, and one blown over trailer along Interstate 15 in Helena.

Another semi rollover on U.S. Highway 191 prompted a road closure between Judith Gap South to Harlowton.

Winds increased rapidly mid-morning and were expected to remain strong through the evening. Forecasts called for gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour across much of the region, with peak gusts reaching 60 to 85 miles per hour across central Montana. Along the Rocky Mountain Front and high plains, gusts could reach 90 to 100 miles per hour or higher.

The Montana Trucking Association warned that trucks can become unstable even before winds reach extreme levels, especially when trailers are empty or lightly loaded. Executive Director Duane Williams said, “Once you start hitting 35 miles an hour, that’s when it can start becoming a concern for trucks.”

Williams also cautioned passenger vehicle drivers to be careful when passing semi trucks during high wind events, saying, “If you’re in a car going around a truck, be careful. The truck driver may not have full control over the gusts, they may swerve a little bit.”

Williams said Montana’s winds can catch even experienced drivers off guard, especially those unfamiliar with the state’s open highways and crosswinds. “There may be drivers that haven't been through Montana much that maybe aren't quite as aware of what can happen. But most of the drivers, you know, are. But we've got a lot of great companies here in Montana that do their best to help train the drivers and they try to look ahead to see what the wind's going to be like that day,” he said.

Officials urged residents to secure loose outdoor items such as lawn furniture, trash cans, and holiday decorations, and to stay away from power lines and tall trees.

The Chouteau County Sheriff’s Office posted: “Semi truck blown over by crosswinds and blocking highway at mile marker 26 on MT80. Detour on county roads in place. High profile vehicles should avoid this area.”

The Montana Highway Patrol posted: “The wind is no joke today! Please drive safely and be aware of your surroundings if you're traveling.”

Sixty mile-per-hour wind gusts hit western Montana first, heavily impacting the Bitterroot, Clark Fork, and Flathead valleys. The storm then pushed northeast through Helena, Great Falls, and across the Hi-Line.

The severe winds left trees, power lines, and semi-trucks scattered across major roadways, and several school districts released students early.

In Hamilton, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Fox said structural damage in the city was limited. “There’s still a fair amount of trees that came down, mostly on private property. A lot of blue spruce came down. We did lose a few city trees,” Fox said.

Downed trees led to widespread power outages. As of Thursday afternoon, NorthWestern Energy crews were still working to restore power to tens of thousands, and around 5:00 p.m. the company estimated at least 35,000 homes were still without power. The Flathead Valley Electric Co-op also reported “extensive damage” and said crews would be working through the night.

National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Conlan said the highest western wind speed recorded was 96 mph on Mount Aeneas near Bigfork. Winds of 90 mph were recorded at the Highlands Golf Club in Missoula, and a wind gust of 88 mph was recorded near Stevensville in the Bitterroot Valley.

“Soils were saturated, and our concern was trees blowing over,” Conlan told MTPR. “And from the reports that we’re getting, there have been many, many trees that have gone over.”

From Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, up to 9 inches of snow could accumulate on Lolo, Lookout, Marias, and Lost Trail passes. The valleys of western Montana were expected to see an intermittent mix of rain and snow.

The Montana Highway Patrol also reported that three trailers rolled on Interstate 15 in Helena, and said drivers would notice those trailers by the Lincoln exit in Helena, adding they would not be recovered until tomorrow morning and that similar cases could be expected across the state. Troopers said they had been busy and urged everyone to travel safely.

Officials said impacts continued as crews responded to rollovers, debris, downed trees, and power outages, and conditions were expected to remain hazardous while strong winds and winter weather persisted. The situation remains ongoing.

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