Sunday's Winds Batter Area From Polson to Columbia Falls

What forecasters call a 'mountain wave' sent destructive winds through Northwest Montana on Sunday, October 27.

Jeff Kitzmiller, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Missoula said the 'mountain wave' came down the Mission Mountains, downing trees and knocking out power lines.

"All that cold air dropped down to the west side of the mountains, and when it does that, it has such force that it can cause significant winds and damage," Kitzmiller said. "We definitely had some trees down, people reported that branches fell on cars, and I think we had some fences taken out, and as of about 5 o'clock this morning, we still had 2,700 people out of power from Columbia Falls down to Polson."