High Wind Warning Issued for Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains; 80 MPH Gusts and Whiteout Conditions Forecast

Source: NOAA · Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains, Montana

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for the Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains for Tuesday, warning of 80 mph gusts and dangerous whiteout conditions.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
High Wind Warning
Affected area
Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains, Montana
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Billings MT

Wind notices are issued against local thresholds and a defined time window. Confirm both in the original notice before making a current-condition decision.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains, Montana.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Billings, MT has issued a High Wind Warning for the Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains. The alert is classified as a severe weather event with a high level of certainty.

Affected Areas

The primary area affected is the Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains. The National Weather Service specifically highlights that travel between Gardiner and Cooke City will be difficult to impossible at times during the warning period.

What You Should Do

Residents and visitors are urged to delay travel to Cooke City. Back country recreation is strongly discouraged due to the severity of the conditions. Do not venture into the back country until winds subside. Residents should also be prepared for potential tree damage caused by high wind speeds.

Expected Conditions

Southwest wind gusts are expected to reach up to 80 mph. The combination of these strong winds and snow will create significant blowing snow and frequent whiteout conditions. Additionally, the National Weather Service warns that avalanche danger will increase as a result of these weather patterns.

Timeline

The High Wind Warning is effective starting at 5:00 AM MST on Tuesday, February 17. The warning and the expected hazardous conditions are scheduled to continue until 8:00 PM MST Tuesday evening.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for the Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains for Tuesday, warning of 80 mph gusts and dangerous whiteout conditions.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains, Montana. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.