Massive Winds In Montana On National Big Wind Day? Absolutely

This video was taken by our friend Ray Hayworth.

The last couple of days have been especially windy, cold, and well, just plain wet. The Bozeman Pass has been a scene of accidents the last two days and it's partly because of the wind. As the Bozeman Hill is a cluster of accidents again today, it just so happens to also be National Big Wind Day. Coincidence? Maybe.

The highest national wind gust ever recorded on earth happened on this day (April 12th) in 1934, hence the name National Big Wind Day.

The gust took place at Mount Washington Observatory which is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States coming in at 6,288 ft. And the wind speed? A whopping 231 miles per hour. That is INSANE.

In 1996, Australia took over the record when a typhoon struck a small island and the wind speed came in at 256 miles per hour.

Montana's highest wind speed took place in 2002 at 143 miles per hour. Right at Miller Colony near Choteau in Teton County, the record still holds its spot as number one. As far as the rest of Montana, Livingston holds the Gold Medal for the windiest city in Montana. The Bozeman Pass leads to and from Livingston and is often in the news feed for "high winds", like...every day. Ok not really, but it seems like it.

This last wind/snow/ice storm that hit Bozeman Hill, cause a long pile-up of cars, trucks, and semis. Even our brave police officers and sheriff's deputies were out attempting to get vehicles to SLOW DOWN. But it does seem as often as we tell people to drive with caution, it often goes in one ear and out the other.

Be safe. Drive with caution. And as always SLOW DOWN. Do you have some crazy wind pictures or videos? Tag them with #NationalBigWindDay