GREAT FALLS — By 6 p.m. Wednesday, it was just another windy early September evening in the Electric City. But just a few hours earlier, it was a much different story.
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From cleaning up downed trees to working to restore power, crews in and around Great Falls were busy Wednesday afternoon and into the evening after a strong windstorm made its way through the area.
A Great Falls Police Department social media post said between 3:20 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., crews responded to reports of 25 downed power lines.
Viewer images of runaway stock tanks and upended trampolines showed just how gusty the winds were. Great Falls International Airport's peak gust was reported at 83 miles per hour and Malmstrom Air Force Base recorded a peak gust of 67 miles per hour.
To make matters more difficult, crews responded to multiple wildland fires around the county, including a brush fire by Armington Junction, one to the northeast closer to the Highwood Mountains.
Crews will be busy throughout Wednesday night working to restore power and clean up debris from this storm.
Power customers are asked to be patient while people are asked to use caution while driving near downed trees and powerlines and avoid travel if possible.
