Hazardous Wind Events in Glacier National Park, Montana

Authors

  • David R. Butler Southwest Texas State University
  • Lisa M. DeChano Southwest Texas State University

Keywords:

natural hazards, hazardous winds, Glacier National Park

Abstract

Every weekly issue of a local newspaper that provides news coverage of Glacier National Park, Montana, covering a ten-year time span, was read for information concerning damage from hazardous winds. All such incidents were recorded and mapped. The influence of the Continental Divide on the park's climate was seen in the nature of wind events and resultant damage. West of the divide, hazard

Author Biographies

  • David R. Butler, Southwest Texas State University

    Department of Geography

    Southwest Texas State University

    San Marcos, TX 78666

  • Lisa M. DeChano, Southwest Texas State University

    Department of Geography

    Southwest Texas State University

    San Marcos, TX 78666

References

Allen, L. 1997. High danger-Falling tree hits rafters. Hungry Horse News, 19 June, p. 1.

Berg, E. 1998. Avalanche project stalls as opponents file suit. Hungry Horse News, 18 June, p. 1.

Butler, D. R. 1979. Snow avalanche path terrain and vegetation, Glacier National Park, Montana. Arctic and Alpine Research 11:17-32.

---. 1987. Snow-avalanche hazards, southern Glacier National Park, Montana: the nature of local knowledge and individual responses. Disasters 11:214-220.

---. 1990. The geography of rockfall hazards in Glacier National Park, Montana. Geographical Bulletin 32(2):81-88.

Finklin, A. I. 1986. A Climatic Handbook for Glacier National Park, with Data for Waterton Lakes National Park. Ogden, Utah: U.S. Forest Service Intermountain Research Station, General Technical Report INT-204.

Fraley, J. 1994. Cold winter in Cut Bank. Hungry Horse News, 24 March, p. 21.

Glacier National Park. 1998. Glacier web site receives 100,000th cyber visitor for 1998. Press release, 6 July. URL: http://www.nps.gov/glac/press35.htm.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park. 1998. Guadalupe Mountains National Park weather.

URL: http://www.nps.gov/gumo/gumo/Weather.html

Hopkins, R. H. 1994. Anchorage windstorm of 1 December 1992. Weather and Forecasting 9:469-478.

Hradek, M., Kolejka, J., and R. Svehlik. 1997. Czechia and Slovakia. In: Geomorphological Hazards of Europe, eds. C. Embleton and C. Embleton-Hamann, pp. 61-90. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Hungry Horse News. East Glacier winds howl. 13 January 1983, p. 5.

---. Yesterdays-10 years ago. 12 October 1988, p. 26.

---.Arctic tempest tramples Flathead area. East Front winds strafe communities with 114 mph gusts, snuff electricity. Trees crashing down at Park headquarters. 1 February 1989, p. 1.

---. Glacier glimpses. 17 May 1989, p. 5.

---. High winds snap trees. 2 August 1989, p. 5.

---. Yesterdays--40 years ago. 2 November 1989, p. 26.

---.Yesterdays--10 Years Ago. 21 December 1989, p. 28.

---.Tricky weather hassles valley. 15 February 1990, p. 5.

---.Winter weather wallops Glacier's east side with 45 inches of snow. 29 November 1990, p. 1.

---. Glacier glimpses. 13 December 1990, p. 5.

---. High winds down lines, spark fires. Gusts near 60 miles per hour blast valley in midday storm. 17 October 1991, p. 1.

---. Winds slap LA film crew. 14 November 1991, p. 1.

---. Bears. 18 June 1992, p. 8.

---. Volunteers clear Glacier Park trails. 2July 1992, p. 5.

---. Nyack Trail cleared of deadfall. 27 August 1992, p. 6.

---. Fallen trees keep Chief Road closed. 22 October 1992, p. 7.

---.Yesterdays-30 Years Ago. 21 October 1993, p. 24.

---.Winter's woes-Furious November storm slams the Flathead Valley. 25 November 1993, p. 7.

---. Funnel clouds zap Park phones. 9 June 1994, p. 8.

---. Fall snowstorm socks Sun Road. 6 October 1994, p. 1.

---. Granite Chalet loses shingles to wind. 20 June 1996, p. 5.

Kennedy, B. 1989. Big blow flattens trees at Park headquarters. Hungry Horse News, 8 February, p. 5.

---. 1991. Roaring wind blasts Glacier-Roof section ripped off historic Many Glacier Hotel. Hungry Horse News, 24 October, p. 5.

---. 1992a. Loose Reins-Just a breeze. Hungry Horse News, 23 January, p. 2.

---. 1992b. Tugboat spills diesel into Park lake. Hungry Horse News, 10 September, p. 1, 8.

---. 1992c. St. Mary Lake fuel spill catches Feds snoozing. Hungry Horse News, 10 September, p. 2.

Kleyla, R. P., and R. E. Peterson. 1990.A case study of a derecho (windstorm) in the Central Plains. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics 36:87-96.

Miller, D. J.; Brinkmann, W. A. R.; and R. G. Barry. 1974. Windstorms: a case study of wind hazards for Boulder, Colorado. In: Natural Hazards: Local, National, Global, ed. G. F. White, pp. 80-86. New York, Oxford University Press.

Miller, W. H. 1968. Santa Ana winds and crime. Professional Geographer 20:23-27.

Monteverdi, J. P. 1973. The Santa Ana weather type and extreme fire hazard in the Oak- land-Berkeley Hills. Weatherwise 26:118-121.

Ostrom, G. G. 1989. Wrecked rails and shin tangles. Hungry Horse News, 8 February, p. 2.

Rockwell, D. 1995. Glacier National Park: A Natural History Guide. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Smith, K. 1992. Environmental Hazards: Assessing Risk and Reducing Disaster. New York: Routledge.

Walsh, S. ]., Malanson, G. P., and D. R. Butler. 1992. Alpine treeline in Glacier National Park, Montana. In: Geographical Snapshots of North America, ed. D. G. Janelle, pp. 167-

New York: Guilford Press.

Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin. 24 June 1997, 12 October 1994, 14June 1994, 30 November 1993, 20 October 1992, 9 September 1992, 16 June 1992, 22 January 1992, 19 November 1991, 22 October 1991, 11 December 1990, 27 November 1990, 13 February 1990, and 8 August 1989. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Whittow, J. 1979. Disasters: The Anatomy of Environmental Hazards. Athens: University of Georgia Press.

Zion National Park, 1998. Press release of 21 July. URL: http:/ / www.nps.gov/ zjon/pr/ press98_16. htm.

Published

2004-12-31

Issue

Section

Articles