Gone with the Wind

Livingston’s breezy nature, explained.

Ask any Livingston local: winds gusting 45-60mph are just another day in the life. Although most common during the late fall, winter, and early spring, Livingston frequently experiences very high winds, creating hazards to vehicles travelling on I-90, often resulting in interstate closures and a traffic detour through the town itself.

In the winter especially, the strong winds are most prevalent out of the southwest. They occur when a strong westerly jet stream sets up over the Northern Rockies, causing low pressure to form in north-central Montana. At the same time, cold winter air over the high elevations of Yellowstone National Park causes high pressure over eastern Idaho and western Wyoming, creating a strong pressure gradient conducive for southwest winds to flow through the Paradise Valley.

Strong pressure gradients can happen anywhere, but what makes Livingston special is the topography around it—mainly the orientation of the Paradise Valley relative to the pressure gradient. As wind enters the valley, it’s squeezed between the mountains, picking up speed. It’s essentially a real-life example of Bernoulli’s Principle—the law of physics stating that an increase in fluid speed (in this case, wind) occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure. The lowest pressure and highest wind speeds occur in the narrow gap just south of Livingston in the Paradise Valley—in this case, we call it a “Gap Wind.” Wind accelerates the most at the end of a narrow corridor before escaping back into a large volume (the foothills east of Livingston). Thus, the wind is localized to the immediate Livingston vicinity.

To put things into perspective, the average December wind speed is 19.9mph in Livingston, compared to 5.3mph in Bozeman, 25 miles to the west. The wind, however, can and does blow year-round—and knowing how it functions allows us to predict when and how strong it’s going to blow.

Nick Vertz is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Billings.

Three Blades to the Wind
by Joe King

Knock, knock… Who’s there? We’ve all heard it, one way or another. But we’re not talking about jokes, nor the dreaded election canvassers. Rather, these door-knockers are the incessant minions of the now-numerous solar companies around the Bozeman area. However, on the other side of the pass in Livingston, alternative-energy outfits are taking a different approach. Because windy days are more common than sunny days, they’ve pivoted from rooftop solar panels to rooftop wind turbines. With lavish state and federal subsidies in place, the race is on to tap the market, and companies are rushing to install mini-turbines on every roof in town. “It’s pretty simple, really” says salesman Brie Z. Skammin. “Most turbines come with 15-year financing, with a limited 10-year warranty on an expected five-year lifespan.” Due to her aggressive, door-to-door sales tactics and her company’s erratic service schedule, Skammin tapes her knuckles, carries a burner phone, and wears a tracksuit to maximize speed and agility between calls. For her and many others, it’s an exciting new era in renewable energy. To sign up, get in touch with an expert at windbagpower.com, or call 406-582-8068 to speak with a certified professional.