HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today issued an executive order declaring a wind disaster in Montana.
On December 17, Montana began experiencing a severe, damaging high-wind event with record-setting high winds, including gusts over 90 mph and sustained winds near 65 mph. These winds caused widespread damage to power lines, trees, vehicles, and buildings, and created large amounts of debris from fallen or damaged trees.
Ravalli, Wheatland, Mineral and Flathead counties as well as the cities of Hamilton and Harlowton have enacted emergency declarations and city, county, state, and tribal personnel are working to remove debris. Additionally, the Montana Disaster & Emergency Services State Emergency Coordination Center is activated and expects to receive declarations of emergencies from additional local and tribal jurisdictions as a winter storm cell continues to move through central and eastern Montana.
Gov. Gianforte’s executive order authorizes use of necessary state government services and funds to meet the needs arising from this event.
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO.11-2025
EXECUTIVE ORDER DECLARING A DISASTER TO EXIST WITHIN THE STATE
OF MONTANA
WHEREAS, on December 17, 2025 Montana began experiencing a severe, damaging high-wind
event with record setting high winds, including gusts over 90 mph and sustained winds near 65
miles per hour (mph), which caused widespread damage to power lines, trees, vehicles, and
buildings, and created large amounts of debris from fallen or damaged trees;
WHEREAS, as of 3: 00 pm December 17, 2025, every county in Montana was under a National
Weather Service “High Wind Warning” with numerous communities and tens of thousands of
residents without power and roads closed as a result of downed trees and power lines;
WHEREAS, The National Weather Service has predicted freezing temperatures and heavy snow
moving in behind the windstorm through Thursday, December 18, 2025 putting seven counties
(Lincoln, Flathead, Pondera, Park, Sweet Grass, Stillwater, Carbon) under a Winter Storm
Warning and an additional eight (Phillips, Valley, Daniels, Sheridan, Roosevelt, Richland,
Dawson, McCone) under a Blizzard Warning;
WHEREAS, city, county, state, and tribal personnel are working in multiple communities to
remove debris in order to provide access for emergency response vehicles;
WHEREAS, Ravalli County, City of Hamilton, Wheatland County, City of Harlowton, Mineral
County, and Flathead County have already issued emergency declarations;
WHEREAS, the State Emergency Coordination Center, which is fully activated, expects to
receive declarations of emergencies from additional local and tribal jurisdictions as this storm
cell continues to move through central and eastern Montana;
WHEREAS, the availability and utilization of all necessary State government services,
equipment, and suppliers under this proclamation will further the efforts to protect the health and
safety and to preserve the lives, property, and resources of the people of the State of Montana;
and
WHEREAS, a proclamation of disaster authorizes the Governor under Section 10-3-311, MCA,
to expend funds from the general fund to meet contingencies and needs arising from these
conditions.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GREG GIANFORTE, Governor of the State of Montana, pursuant to
the authority vested in me under the Constitution, and the laws of the State of Montana, Title 10,
Chapter 3, MCA, and other applicable statutes, do hereby declare under§ 10-3-103 and § 10-3–
3 03, MCA, that a severe weather disaster exists in the State of Montana.
This Order is effective December 18 , 2025, and will expire 45 days from the date of signing unless
continuing conditions of the state of emergency or disaster exist or by extension by the legislature.
GIVEN under my hand and the G~AT SEAL of
the State of Montana this / 8′ ..,,,,._ day of
December, 2025.