Montana Dry Cold Front Fire Weather Event Data 1999

October 31, 1999 data captures a dry cold front event in eastern Montana that produced extreme winds and fueled wildfires. The event caused an estimated $12 million in damages, with reported sustained winds over 50 knots and gusts near 80 knots. This case study was compiled by SCIOPS and published by UCAR/JOSS/NOAA/CODIAC.

Use Cases

• Analyze the relationship between reported wind_speed, wind_gust, and fire ignition locations near Outlook and Wolf Point.
• Model fire_danger_rating using time-series data on wind conditions and antecedent dry_conditions.
• Study the meteorological progression of a dry_cold_front using timestamped atmospheric measurements.
• Estimate property_damage_costs correlated with reported wind_speed and fire_spread metrics.

Strengths

• Focuses on a specific, well-documented extreme weather event from October 1999.
• Includes concrete damage estimates ($12 million) and extreme wind measurements (50+ knots sustained).
• Associated with authoritative organizations like UCAR, JOSS, and NOAA.

Limitations

• Data is from a single day in 1999, offering no longitudinal context.
• Specific column names, row counts, and file formats are unknown.
• Geographic scope is limited to eastern Montana, specifically the Outlook and Wolf Point areas.

Provenance

Source

UCAR/JOSS/NOAA/CODIAC

Collection Method

null

Time Range

1999-10-31

Freshness

null

Geography

Eastern Montana, USA (specifically near towns of Outlook and Wolf Point)