The City of Helena is seeing some damage from the recent storm. Crews were out Monday morning cleaning up downed branches.
“When we have these sustained winds of 50, 60, 70 miles an hour, that definitely takes a toll,” said Chris Daly, Helena Parks and Recreation urban forestry supervisor.
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Sunday’s wind event saw gusts up to 61 miles an hour in Helena, with other parts of Montana seeing even higher speeds and more severe damage. Officials say compared to December’s destructive storm, there weren’t nearly as many calls, making it easier to manage.
The city has measures in place to help try to limit major damage.
“We run a pretty aggressive proactive pruning program,” Daly continued, “which really helps to mitigate storm damage.”
Helena and the rest of the Treasure State saw a major wind event on December 17 of 2025, bringing 91 miles per hour gusts and destruction along with it. Homes were damaged, thousands lost power, and trees came down. The damage was costly, estimated at between $25,000-$30,000. Each tree costs around $450 to clean up, and over $10,000 in damages at the Bill Roberts Golf Course alone.
Officials say they keep a closer eye on the weaker trees, as they’re more likely to be impacted by weather events.
Some of those weaker trees include younger, more recently planted trees, as well as a specific species like green ash.
“As they get older and start to develop rot on the inside,” Daly explained, “which oftentimes we can't see, they definitely become weaker and more susceptible to wind damage.”
The city has taken significant steps to reduce the green ash population in recent years. The tree species once represented around 68% of the urban forest; currently, they represent around 40% of the city’s trees.
Lewis and Clark County Emergency Services says there may be unseen damage from past wind events, and winds are expected to continue later this week, and could reach speeds of up to 80 miles an hour.
People should prepare ahead if they can, like checking their trees and structures for damage. Look for signs of stress, like cracks or if the tree has more lean than in the past, and make sure their home items are secured.
“Flag things that you think might be a hazard, or if you can, just remove them, strap them down, put some weight on something, things along those lines,” recommends Kyle Sturgill-Simon, Lewis and Clark County emergency manager. “Anything to keep the flying debris to a minimum.”
Any downed trees you spot can be reported using the MyHelena app, as Parks and Recreation does its best to keep as many trees in the ground and healthy.
“We’re working hard to make sure that we have trees to enjoy for future generations,” Daly said.
