Within Explanations
Could Weather Balloons Explain Montana UFOs?
Great Falls weather balloons offer a concrete ordinary explanation for some bright, slow, high-altitude Montana UFO reports.
On this page
- Why Great Falls launches upper air balloons
- How balloons can look strange from the ground
- Where balloon explanations fit and fail
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Introduction
Weather balloons are one of the most practical ordinary explanations for some Montana UFO reports, especially around Great Falls. The city sits beneath a long-running network of upper-air weather observations, and balloons launched into the high atmosphere can appear surprisingly strange from the ground. Bright sunlight, extreme altitude, unusual viewing angles, and the vast openness of Montana skies can make a balloon look like a glowing disc, a hovering object, or a distant craft moving in unexpected ways. That does not explain every Montana sighting, but it helps explain why investigators have repeatedly considered weather balloons when assessing reports of bright daytime objects over north-central Montana. [National Weather Service]weather.govNational Weather ServiceCollecting Meteorological Data by Radiosonde or…The radiosonde is a small, expendable instrument package that…
Within the broader history of Montana UFO claims, weather balloons matter because they offer a documented, routine activity taking place in the same skies where many unusual sightings have been reported. The question is not whether balloons exist in the region—they unquestionably do—but whether a particular report matches the characteristics of a balloon or requires a different explanation.
Why Great Falls launches upper-air balloons
Great Falls is more than a military and aviation centre. It is also an important weather-observation location. The National Weather Service office in Great Falls participates in the upper-air observation system that sends instrument packages, known as radiosondes, into the atmosphere beneath large balloons. These launches occur on a regular schedule and form part of a worldwide meteorological network. [National Weather Service]weather.govNational Weather ServiceCollecting Meteorological Data by Radiosonde or…The radiosonde is a small, expendable instrument package that… [2formontana.net]formontana.netWeather Balloon Launch from Great Falls Every day at 5 a.mand 5 p.m. MDT, weather balloons are released from the centers at Great Falls and Glasgow…. About 10% of the radiosondes launched from…
A typical radiosonde balloon rises rapidly through the atmosphere while transmitting measurements of temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind conditions. National Weather Service descriptions note that these balloons can climb above 100,000 feet and remain airborne for roughly two hours before bursting. During that ascent they may drift many miles from their launch point. [National Weather Service]weather.govNational Weather ServiceCollecting Meteorological Data by Radiosonde or…The radiosonde is a small, expendable instrument package that…
Montana’s geography makes these launches especially noticeable. The state’s broad plains and comparatively unobstructed horizons allow observers to see distant objects for long periods. A balloon high above Great Falls may remain visible long after it would disappear behind terrain in more mountainous or urban areas.
The existence of routine balloon launches does not automatically solve any individual UFO case. It does, however, establish a verified source of bright, high-altitude objects in the exact region where some sightings occurred.
How balloons can look strange from the ground
One reason weather balloons repeatedly appear in UFO investigations is that human observers are not very good at judging the distance, size, or speed of isolated objects against a featureless sky.
Several effects can create misleading impressions:
- Sunlight reflections: A balloon can appear as a brilliant white or silver object when sunlight reflects from its surface. At certain angles the reflected light may be much brighter than the balloon itself, making the object appear metallic or self-luminous. [Wikipedia]WikipediaWeather balloonWeather balloon
- Apparent hovering: Because a balloon is extremely distant, its movement may seem slow or even stationary despite travelling with upper-level winds.
- Sudden changes in brightness: As the balloon rotates or changes angle relative to the Sun, it can flash, dim, or vanish from view.
- Misjudged speed: A distant object crossing a clear sky can appear to accelerate or change pace because observers lack reference points.
- Unusual altitude: Balloons routinely operate at heights far above normal visual expectations. An observer may assume an object is much closer and therefore much smaller and faster than it really is. [National Weather Service]weather.govNational Weather ServiceCollecting Meteorological Data by Radiosonde or…The radiosonde is a small, expendable instrument package that…
These effects become more pronounced in Montana’s dry air and wide-open landscapes. A bright object seen against a deep blue sky can look strikingly different from the ordinary balloon that produced it.
The Great Falls UFO film and the balloon question
The most famous Montana UFO case inevitably raises the balloon issue. In August 1950, Great Falls baseball manager Nick Mariana filmed two bright objects moving across the sky above Legion Stadium. The short film became one of the best-known UFO recordings in American history and remains heavily debated. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRobertson PanelRobertson Panel
Because weather balloons were already part of normal atmospheric observation programmes in the United States, investigators examined whether the objects could have been balloons. The possibility was taken seriously precisely because balloons were known to create bright reflections and unusual visual impressions. Later official and scientific reviews considered balloon explanations alongside aircraft, birds, meteors, and other possibilities. [Wikipedia]WikipediaMariana UFO filmMariana UFO film
The balloon hypothesis faced difficulties, however. Analysts looking at the Mariana footage noted questions about the reported motion of the objects and the available wind information. Some investigators felt that the observed behaviour did not fit a simple drifting balloon. Others argued that uncertainties in timing, direction, and witness recollection left room for a balloon-related explanation. The result was not a clean resolution but a long-running debate over which ordinary explanation best matched the limited evidence. [Wikipedia]WikipediaWeather balloonWeather balloon
That debate is important because it illustrates a broader pattern in Montana UFO history. Weather balloons are often among the first conventional explanations considered, but they do not automatically account for every reported detail.
Where balloon explanations fit
Balloon explanations are strongest when a report includes several common features:
- A bright white, silver, or reflective object.
- Daylight observation.
- Apparent hovering or slow movement.
- Lack of sharp structural detail.
- Extreme uncertainty about distance and size.
- Location and timing consistent with known upper-air launches. [National Weather Service]weather.govNational Weather ServiceCollecting Meteorological Data by Radiosonde or…The radiosonde is a small, expendable instrument package that… [2formontana.net]formontana.netWeather Balloon Launch from Great Falls Every day at 5 a.mand 5 p.m. MDT, weather balloons are released from the centers at Great Falls and Glasgow…. About 10% of the radiosondes launched from…
These conditions appear regularly in Montana sighting reports. Witnesses often describe isolated lights or reflective objects against otherwise empty skies. In many cases there is little supporting evidence beyond visual observation, making a weather balloon a plausible candidate.
The explanation is particularly useful because it does not require extraordinary assumptions. Weather balloons are routinely launched, capable of producing unusual visual effects, and known to travel through the same airspace where sightings occur.
Where balloon explanations fail
Not every Montana UFO report resembles a weather balloon.(#endnote-4 “Endnote 4”) [Wikipedia]WikipediaWeather balloonWeather balloon
A balloon explanation becomes less convincing when reports involve:
- Rapid manoeuvres inconsistent with prevailing winds.
- Multiple independently confirmed objects moving in different directions.
- Detailed observations of structured craft at close range.
- Corroborating radar information that conflicts with balloon behaviour.
- Objects observed at night displaying controlled lighting patterns rather than reflected sunlight.
Even then, investigators must be cautious. Witness estimates of speed, distance, and manoeuvrability can be unreliable, especially when viewing unfamiliar objects in open skies. A report that sounds dramatic on paper may become less extraordinary after careful reconstruction of viewing conditions.
This is why serious UFO investigations generally compare balloon data with weather records, launch schedules, aircraft activity, astronomical conditions, and military operations before reaching conclusions. A weather balloon is one possible answer, not a universal one.
Why the balloon explanation remains important in Montana
The value of the weather-balloon explanation is not that it solves every mystery. Its importance is that it anchors Montana UFO history in a documented reality. Great Falls and other Montana locations have hosted routine atmospheric observations for decades, placing reflective high-altitude objects into local skies on a predictable basis. [formontana.net]formontana.netWeather Balloon Launch from Great Falls Every day at 5 a.mand 5 p.m. MDT, weather balloons are released from the centers at Great Falls and Glasgow…. About 10% of the radiosondes launched from…
For readers looking at Montana’s most famous UFO cases, weather balloons serve as a reminder that extraordinary-looking objects do not always require extraordinary causes. At the same time, the continued debate over cases such as the Mariana film shows why some reports survive for decades: a plausible ordinary explanation can exist without fully satisfying every observer.
That tension between routine aerial activity and lingering uncertainty is one of the defining features of Montana’s UFO history. Weather balloons remain one of the strongest conventional explanations available, but their role is ultimately case-specific rather than universal.
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Endnotes
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Source: weather.gov
Link: https://www.weather.gov/rah/virtualtourballoon -
Source: formontana.net
Title: Weather Balloon Launch from Great Falls Every day at 5 a.m
Link: https://formontana.net/launch.htmlSource snippet
and 5 p.m. MDT, weather balloons are released from the centers at Great Falls and Glasgow.... About 10% of the radiosondes launched from...
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Source: weather.gov
Link: https://www.weather.gov/tfx/Source snippet
National Weather ServiceGreat Falls, MTIt will be very warm this week across Central and Southwest Montana. Make sure to take all necessa...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Weather balloon
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_balloon -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Robertson Panel
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_Panel -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Mariana UFO film
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_UFO_film -
Source: weather.gov
Link: https://www.weather.gov/unr/upper-air-launchSource snippet
The sounding, as it is called, is released around 4am/pm or 5am/pm depending on whether daylight savings time is in...Read more...
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Source: noaa.gov
Link: https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/upperair/radiosondesSource snippet
National Oceanic and Atmospheric...16 Sept 2025 — This video, from the NWS Tampa Bay office, shows the process of a balloon launch.Read...
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Title: its a birdits a planeits a balloon did you catch this mysterious object in the s
Link: https://www.facebook.com/WINKNewsTV/posts/its-a-birdits-a-planeits-a-balloon-did-you-catch-this-mysterious-object-in-the-s/981890407734505/Source snippet
Did you catch this...March 23, 2026 — Bradley James ▻ Latest UFO Sightings. 1y · Public · Never seen this... Its not aliens or the Chin...
Published: March 23, 2026
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Source: theeyewall.com
Title: weather balloon launch cuts an honest look at how it should impact forecasts
Link: https://theeyewall.com/weather-balloon-launch-cuts-an-honest-look-at-how-it-should-impact-forecasts/Source snippet
Weather balloon launch cuts: An honest look at how it...23 Mar 2025 — The National Weather Service has announced a series of suspensions...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: Two mysterious objects fly across the Montana sky in what may be
Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnXplainedZone/posts/two-mysterious-objects-fly-across-the-montana-sky-in-what-may-be-the-first-ufo-v/1290722933257136/Source snippet
May 22, 2026 — The Montana governor and two congressmen were briefed on a UFO (again, not saying alien) in Montana airspace after NORAD d...
Published: May 22, 2026
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Source: krtv.com
Title: Great Falls’ UFO legacy in focus amid Pentagon document release
Link: https://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-news/great-falls-ufo-legacy-in-focus-amid-pentagon-document-releaseSource snippet
May 13, 2026 — The so-called Mariana film quickly became the talk of the town and remains one of the earliest UFO sightings ever caught o...
Published: May 13, 2026
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/cnn/videos/coordinated-twice-daily-weather-balloon-launches-make-up-the-backbone-of-weather/1265474851807511/Source snippet
across the United States, including in Nebraska and South Dakota...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/NWSJacksonville/videos/get-that-data-our-evening-upper-air-balloon-launch-on-216-the-data-that-the-radi/1180185539613532/Source snippet
collects will help meteorologists diagnose the airmass and fuels...
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Source: scribd.com
Link: https://www.scribd.com/document/882346390/Weather-BalloonsSource snippet
orne radiosondes to collect critical weather data, including...
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Source: gfvoyagers.com
Title: 75th Anniversary of Mariana UFO Incident
Link: https://www.gfvoyagers.com/general/2024-25/releases/20250815Source snippet
Great Falls Electrics, Nick Mariana spotted two silver UFO's flying in formation over [Voyagers]({{ 'voyagers/' | relative_url }}) Stadium (then called Legion Park). Mariana...
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Source: overlookhorizon.com
Title: how to track nws weather balloons
Link: https://overlookhorizon.com/how-to-launch-weather-balloons/how-to-track-nws-weather-balloons/Source snippet
18 Jun 2019 — These weather balloon flights are launched at least twice a day from each upper-air observatory and sometimes more often, u...
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Source: wvtf.org
Title: the all important weather balloon
Link: https://www.wvtf.org/2024-05-13/the-all-important-weather-balloonSource snippet
The all-important weather balloon...13 May 2024 — Many NWS offices across the country launch balloons twice a day – 7AM and 7PM – and som...
Published: May 2024
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