WATCH as High Montana Winds Move Massive Hay Bail at a Quick Pace

The winds earlier this week were insane across much of Montana. For some Montanans, the wind is an everyday part of life. I grew up near Billings and would think that a "calm day" was a 5-10 mph breeze. Then, after moving to Missoula, my mind was blown (pun intended) that there are places where the wind DOES NOT blow every day. Now, whenever I visit places like Livingston, Billings, or Great Falls I think to myself "How do people live here?"

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Missoula and western Montana were not excluded from the winds that came shortly before our recent cold front arrived. This past Sunday and Monday, Missoula experienced some rather high winds for our area. The Missoula Airport reported a 68 mph wind gust on Monday. With a report of a 75 mph gust recorded on top of Snowbowl. However, that is not even close to a record wind recorded in February of 2020, when a 99 mph gust was recorded on top of Snowbowl. That is equivalent to a category 1 hurricane.

randy fath via unsplash.com

Apparently, the high winds we experienced were enough to cause some property damage. We typically see downed trees and roof shingles scattered around neighborhoods. But this past bout with high winds appears to be enough to roll 1700 pound hay bails across a field. That takes a fair amount of force.

Recently, Andy Hanson of Laurel, Montana, shared a video of giant hay bails being blown across a hayfield. Almost makes you feel like you are soon going to be part of the cast of the Wizard of Oz.

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Categories: Weird