Montana is famous for its big skies and wide-open spaces, but it's also home to some serious winds. Two Montana cities recently ranked in the top 20 windiest in America, proving that the Treasure State isn't just about breathtaking views—it's also about holding onto your hat and bracing yourself for nature's unseen force.

The windiest cities were determined by Stacker. The average wind speed ranked data collected from NOAA between January 1984 and December 2020. If there was a tie between any states, they took the maximum monthly average wind speed to break it.

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The data is limited to populations of 50,000 or more. So, there is the possibility of even windier towns in the state of Montana!

Even though wind is not visible, it doesn't just appear out of thin air. Factors like topography, air pressure, temperature, and air density all play a role in making some locations windier than others. These elements combine to create gusty conditions that can vary dramatically from one area to the next.

Which Montana cities made the list of windiest places in America?

Billings and Great Falls both made the top 20 cut. I knew these places were breezy, but they faced some serious competition from other notoriously windy spots across the country.

credit: Canva
credit: Canva
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TOP 20 Windiest Cities in America

#20. San Francisco, CA: Annual Average Wind Speed (AAWS) 10.5mph
#19. Rapid City, SD: AAWS 10.6 mph

#18. Billings, Montana

- Annual average wind speed tops out at 10.7 miles per hour.
- Windiest month: January (13.4 miles per hour on average)

#17. Midland-Odessa, TX: AAWS 10.8mph
#16. Abilene, TX : AAWS 10.9mph
#15. Fargo, ND: AAWS 11.1mph
#14. Grand Island, NE: AAWS 11.1mph
#13. Galveston, TX: AAWS 11.2mph
#12. Wichita Falls, TX: AAWS 11.2mph
#11. New York, NY: AAWS 11.2mph
#10. Oklahoma City, OK: AAWS 11.3mph
#9. Boston, MA : AAWS 11.5 mph
#8. Wichita, KS: AAWS 11.5 mph

#7. Great Falls, Montana

- The annual average wind speed is 11.5 miles per hour.
- Windiest month: January and December (tie) (14 miles per hour on average)

#6. Corpus Christi, TX: AAWS 11.7 mph
#5. Rochester, MN: AAWS 12mph
#4. Lubbock, TX: AAWS 12mph
#3. Casper, WY: AAWS 12mph
#2. Cheyenne, WY: AAWS 12.2mph
#1. Amarillo, TX: AAWS 12.9 mph

Do you live in one of these windy cities? Let us know HERE or text us on the app.

Credit: Stacker

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