Climatological Report (Annual)
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000
CXUS55 KTFX 031817
CLAGTF
MTZ008>015-044>055-200532-

AREA ANNUAL CLIMATE SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1116 AM MST MON JAN 3 2022

THIS DATA IS PRELIMINARY UNTIL CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL CENTERS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION.

...2021 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA...

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE / NORMAL/ DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL GREAT
FALLS....45.5 / 44.7... +0.8...57TH WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.
 HAVRE..........45.0 / 43.7... +1.3...21ST WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.
 HELENA.........48.1 / 45.6... +2.5... 3RD WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.
 BOZEMAN........44.8 / 43.0... +1.8... 6TH WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.
 CUT BANK.......42.4 / 41.9... +0.5...37TH WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.
 DILLON.........43.9 / 41.9... +2.0...22ND WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.
 LEWISTOWN......44.1 / 43.2... +0.9...34TH WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.
 W YELLOWSTONE..36.3 / 35.1... +1.2...21ST WARMEST YEAR OF RECORD.


HIGHEST / LOWEST TEMPERATURES GREAT FALLS.... 99 ON 08/01, 08/15,  /
 -33 ON 02/12        07/01, 27 AND 06/14 HAVRE..........104 ON 06/15
         /  -34 ON 02/14 HELENA.........104 ON 06/14
/  -23 ON 02/13
BOZEMAN........100 ON 07/18          /  -29 ON 02/13 CUT BANK.......
96 ON 06/14, 07/01,02/  -38 ON 02/12 DILLON......... 95 ON 06/18,
07/18   /  -16 ON 02/11 LEWISTOWN...... 97 ON 06/15, 07/18   /  -35
ON 02/12 W YELLOWSTONE.. 93 ON 07/19     /   -27 ON 02/25

 THE AREA EXTREMES WERE 107F AT SAND CREEK IN JUNE AND -47F NEAR ULM
IN FEBRUARY.


     PRECIPITATION / NORMAL / DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL / MOST IN 24 HRS
GREAT FALLS....11.19 / 14.76 /    -3.57 /        1.62 ON 08/17-18
HAVRE.......... 7.69 / 11.82 /    -4.13 /        0.96 ON 05/20-21
HELENA.........E8.76 / 11.40 /    -2.64 /        0.91 ON 08/17-18
BOZEMAN........10.82 / 13.43 /    -2.61 /        1.08 ON 08/19-20
CUT BANK....... 7.35 / 10.77 /    -3.42 /        1.08 ON 08/08-09
DILLON.........    M /  9.83 /        M /        0.39 ON 05/22-23
LEWISTOWN......10.91 / 17.17 /    -6.26 /        1.05 ON 07/07    W
YELLOWSTONE..22.84 / 21.92 /    +0.93 /        1.47 ON 05/22

PRECIPITATION AT HELENA IS ESTIMATED DUE TO A SHORT PERIOD OF
MISSING DATA IN OCTOBER.

SOME TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION AND WIND HIGHLIGHTS AND RANKING...
BOZEMAN...THIS WAS THE WARMEST YEAR SINCE 2015. ANNUAL PRECIPITATION
         WAS THE 12TH DRIEST OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE 2020.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 6.0-MPH WAS THE HIGHEST SINCE 2014.
CUT BANK..ANNUAL PRECIPITATION WAS THE 11TH DRIEST OF RECORD AND
      DRIEST SINCE 2006. DILLON....ANNUAL PRECIPITATION OF 8.25 AT
DILLON WMU WAS THE 12TH       DRIEST OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE
2020. GREAT FALLS...THIS WAS THE WARMEST YEAR SINCE 2016. THIS WAS
THE   DRIEST YEAR SINCE 2003 AND 19TH DRIEST OF RECORD.
HAVRE.....THIS WAS THE WARMEST YEAR SINCE 2016. ANNUAL PRECIPITATION
          WAS THE 10TH DRIEST OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE 2016.
HELENA....THIS WAS THE WARMEST YEAR SINCE 2015.            ANNUAL
PRECIPITATION OF 8.76 WAS THE 16TH DRIEST OF    RECORD AND DRIEST
SINCE 2000.
LEWISTOWN..THIS WAS THE WARMEST YEAR SINCE 2016. ANNUAL
PRECIPITATION WAS THE DRIEST OF RECORD, DRIER THAN THE
PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 1956 OF 11.15.

SNOWFALL / DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL / MOST IN 24 HRS / MAX SNOW ON GRD
GREAT FALLS.. 45.9 /-20.2 / 12.4 ON 10/17-18/  6 INCHES ON 02/18
HAVRE.........37.1 / -3.9 /  8.2 ON 03/13-14/  7 INCHES ON 02/17
HELENA........43.7 / +6.5 / 17.6 ON 10/23-24/  7 INCHES ON 02/09
BOZEMAN.......51.2 / +8.9 /  7.6 ON 02/05-06/ 10 INCHES ON 02/16-19
CUT BANK......48.8 / +3.6 / 11.0 ON 03/14   /  8 INCHES ON 02/08
DILLON........15.3 /-17.0 /  7.2 ON 11/07   /  3 INCHES ON 05/23
LEWISTOWN.... 49.2 /-18.7 / 10.5 ON 11/08   / 14 INCHES ON 02/08
BOZEMAN MSU.. 95.3 / +2.2 /  7.0 ON 10/24   / 20 INCHES ON 02/16-17
W YELLOWSTON.170.8 /+25.0 /  8.5 ON 03/15   / 39 INCHES ON 03/09

AVERAGE WIND / DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL / PEAK WIND /MPH/ GREAT
FALLS....11.6 MPH / +0.3 / 76 MPH ON 01/13...32ND CALMEST YR
HAVRE..........10.2 MPH / +0.4 / 78 MPH ON 01/13...27TH WINDIEST YR
HELENA......... 7.0 MPH / +0.3 / 80 MPH ON 01/13...56TH CALMEST YR
BOZEMAN........ 6.0 MPH / +0.2 / 79 MPH ON 08/30...32ND CALMEST YR
CUT BANK.......13.4 MPH / +0.3 / 88 MPH ON 03/29...34TH WINDIEST YR
DILLON......... 9.7 MPH / +0.7 / 71 MPH ON 03/29...27TH WINDIEST YR
LEWISTOWN...... 9.3 MPH /  0.0 / 77 MPH ON 01/13...27TH CALMEST YR W
YELLOWSTONE..                  55 MPH ON 05/03

* BOZEMAN 79 MPH WAS A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH FOR MARCH AND OF RECORD.
* CUT BANK 88 MPH WAS A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH FOR MARCH.
* DILLON 71 MPH WAS A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH FOR MARCH.
* GREAT FALLS 76 MPH WAS A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH FOR JANUARY.
* HELENA 80 MPH WAS A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH FOR JANUARY

THE PERSISTENT WINDY CONDITIONS DURING THE YEAR PRODUCED SOME
NOTABLE NUMBERS. SEE THE TABLES BELOW FOR DAYS OF GUSTS GREATER THAN
50 MPH AND 60 MPH, AND DAYS WITH WIND AVERAGES GREATER THAN 20 MPH
AND GREATER THAN 25 MPH.

JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER...                              DAYS OF
GUSTS...              >=50 MPH RNK MOST SINCE     >=60 MPH RNK  MOST
SINCE BOZEMAN      14    1   10 IN 1949         5      1   3 IN 2007
CUT BANK     55    2   56 IN 1996       26      1  20 IN 1994 DILLON
22    1   14 IN 2008         7   1   3 IN 2008 GREAT FALLS  33 11
34 IN 1991        11      5  13 IN 1990 HAVRE  24  6   54 IN 1990
     3     12   5 IN 2010 HELENA       17  1   31 IN 2011   6      1
  5 IN 1999 LEWISTOWN 21    1 19 IN 1990         5 3   6 IN 1955


                    DAYS OF WIND SPEED AVERAGES...               >20
MPH  MOST SINCE    AVG    >25 MPH  MOST SINCE  AVG CUT BANK     63
 69 IN 2020    54      26     29 IN 2020   20 GREAT FALLS  32    34
IN 2020    26      12     13 IN 1991   10 HAVRE   13    14 IN 2020
  9       4      6 IN 1978    1 LEWISTOWN    20    33 IN 1990     8
     4     13 IN 1990    1 >15 MPH  MOST SINCE   AVG    >20 MPH
MOST SINCE  AVG BOZEMAN     6 7 IN 1990     2  1      1 IN 1996    0
DILLON 34    38 IN 2014 24       6     12 IN 1991    3 HELENA
9  11 IN 2020   8   3    3 IN 2007    1




LAST SPRING FROST / FIRST FALL FROST               GROWING SEASON
                   AVERAGE            AVERAGE   DAYS   NORMAL GREAT
FALLS....05/22   05/20   /  09/14   09/21    117     123
HAVRE..........05/22   05/15   /  09/17   09/21    117     128
HELENA.........05/22   05/15   /  09/30   09/24    130     130
BOZEMAN........06/11   06/02   /  09/17   09/11     97     101 CUT
BANK.......05/24   05/24   /  09/16   09/11    114     109
DILLON.........06/11   06/08   /  09/17   09/13     97     102
LEWISTOWN......05/30   05/26   /  09/16   09/17    108     113 W
YELLOWSTONE..06/21   06/24   /  08/10   07/13     49      15


DAYS OF MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE 90F OR HIGHER / 32F OR LOWER
     80F OR HIGHER AT WEST YELLOWSTONE   AVERAGE         AVERAGE
GREAT FALLS.... 38    18    /  34   40 HAVRE.......... 49    24    /
 46   54 HELENA......... 51    24
/  31   41 BOZEMAN........ 44    22
/  36   45 CUT BANK....... 20     8
/  48   48 DILLON......... 19     8
/  40   45 LEWISTOWN...... 25    11
/  48   44 W YELLOWSTONE.. 60    40
/  80   91

AT GREAT FALLS, THIS WAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF DAYS OF 90F OR HIGHER
SINCE 2003. HELENA SET A NEW RECORD WITH 49-DAYS...THE OLD RECORD
WAS 47-DAYS SET IN 2001. LEWISTOWN AND BOZEMAN BOTH HAD THEIR
HIGHEST NUMBER OF 90F DAYS SINCE 2007.

DAYS WITH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE 32F OR LOWER / 0F OR LOWER
        AVERAGE        AVERAGE GREAT FALLS.... 170 166   /  21   21
  HAVRE.......... 188   180   /  33   31 HELENA......... 162   167
/  17   18 BOZEMAN........ 197   178
/  21   22 CUT BANK....... 186   183
/  31   27 DILLON......... 200   191
/  13   14 LEWISTOWN...... 187   181
/  21   21 W YELLOWSTONE.. 271   256
/  45   55


DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION
      MORE THAN TR            =>0.01 NML  =>0.10 NML   =>0.50 NML
SNOW  NML GREAT FALLS....  90    99    30   40        6   4    48
69 HAVRE..........  75    84    19   33        1   4    36   55
HELENA.........  79    88    23   33        3   4    36   62
BOZEMAN........  96   102    30   44        4   4    42   66 CUT
BANK.......  69    77    21   26        1   4 DILLON......... 50 80
11   29        0   4 LEWISTOWN...... 89   113    33   47  5   4 39 49

                     MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE     JAN   FEB  MAR
APR  MAY  JUN  JUL  AUG  SEP  OCT  NOV  DEC BZN  25.6 15.8 36.4 41.1
48.9 66.0 72.9 65.3 57.2 46.3 37.8 24.0 CTB 27.8  9.3 36.6 40.1 46.3
62.4 70.7 63.4 57.7 43.4 36.7 14.2 DLN 25.4 16.5 34.5 40.1 47.3 64.6
70.2 63.1 57.9 44.1 37.3 25.9 GTF 31.3 12.4 39.1 41.5 48.6 64.9 73.7
66.1 60.0 48.0 40.5 20.1 HVR 28.2  9.7 38.9 43.6 50.7 67.4 75.5 68.0
61.2 47.2 36.9 12.5 HLN 30.5 18.1 39.6 44.5 51.9 69.4 77.6 68.8 62.6
50.0 39.7 25.3 LWT 28.2 10.1 36.8 39.9 47.5 64.5 72.7 65.0 58.7 46.9
39.1 20.6 WYS 16.0 12.2 22.7 31.4 42.3 56.1 62.6 56.7 48.7 37.0 31.3
19.9

                          MONTHLY PRECIPITATION     JAN   FEB  MAR
APR  MAY  JUN  JUL  AUG  SEP  OCT  NOV  DEC BZN  0.42 0.59 0.37 0.99
2.81 0.23 0.69 1.92 0.12 1.75 0.22 0.49 CTB 0.06 0.25 0.73 0.39 1.92
2.65 0.10 0.24 0.65 0.53 0.10 0.40 DLL 0.40 0.46 0.33 0.58 2.73 0.05
0.52 0.97 0.60 1.21 0.24 0.16 GTF 0.18 0.69 0.42 1.10 4.30 0.45 0.32
2.18 0.26 0.10 0.30 0.89 HVR 0.02 0.81 0.15 0.45 2.69 0.12 0.52 1.04
0.05 0.66 0.42 0.76 HLN 0.28 0.87 0.26 1.00 2.26 0.41 0.09 1.98 0.03
0.25 0.20 0.98 LWT 0.46 0.42 0.24 1.04 2.27 1.08 1.38 2.19 0.07 0.57
0.45 0.74 WYS 1.72 2.16 1.50 0.68 2.92 0.10 1.57 3.21 0.92 1.42 1.50
4.13

                          MONTHLY SNOWFALL     JAN   FEB  MAR  APR
MAY  JUN  JUL  AUG  SEP  OCT  NOV  DEC BZN  8.4  18.4  1.7 10.2    T
   0    0    0    0  4.0  1.4 10.2 MSU 9.6  29.0  2.7  8.5  5.8    0
   0    0    0 10.0  4.5 26.4 CTB 0.7 13.7  5.4  6.6 10.8    0    0
  0    0  2.5  1.0 11.2 DLL 3.6  5.5 1.4  0.2    0    0    0    0
T  4.5  0.0  0.1 GTF 0.9  8.8 5.0 7.5  5.1    0    0    0    0  0.1
3.7 14.8 HVR T 10.2 2.9  1.5  6.8    0    0    0    0  1.9  1.8 12.0
HLN 3.9 13.1 3.2 3.9  8.0 0    0   0    0    T  0.5 11.1 LWT 5.6
18.7 2.3 9.1 4.0    0    0  0    T  T  1.5  8.9 WYS 25.6 34.3 16.8
5.0 13.5  T    0    0  6.3 11.1 15.0 52.2

DAYS WITH...     ANY FOG     FOG VSBY <1/4SM     GLAZE      THUNDER
     2021 AVG   2021   AVG      2021  AVG   2021   AVG BZN    105
106     16  18         0    1     21    31 CTB    110 105     29  25
        0   0     11    16 DLN     84  75      8  10         1   0
  22 31 GTF     88  95     17  20         2   2     12 18 HVR     80
 96    17  18         1   2     15 28 HLN     39  77     9  14
  0   1     22 25 LWT    100 106    14  20         0   1     18    27

                             NEW RECORD            TEMPERATURE WARM|
      DAILY WIND        DAILY   HIGHS  LOWS LOWS| HIGH AVG LOW AVG
GUST  PRECIP BOZEMAN        2  10    4      8        4      16
5 CUT BANK     2 7    3      9        4      15      1 DILLON     1
  9 2      2    3      21 8 GREAT FALLS    2    9    3      3      3
     12      4 HAVRE 2    7    0     10    1      15 3 HELENA     1
  3 1      4  5 16      3 LEWISTOWN     0    6  2      5    0 14 2 W
YELLOWSTONE  0   0    0 0


MILESTONES REACHED DURING 2021... BOZEMAN...

 JAN...MONTHLY PEAK WIND GUST OF 63-MPH WAS SECOND HIGHEST OF
RECORD. RECORD IS 64-MPH SET IN 1972.
 FEB...SNOWFALL OF 18.7 WAS THE THIRD HIGHEST OF RECORD AND
HIGHEST SINCE 2020. AVERAGE IS 7.6.
 MAR...PRECIPITATION OF 0.37-INCHES WAS THE FOURTH DRIEST OF RECORD
      AND DRIEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 0.93-INCHES.
       AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 4.4-MPH WAS THE THIRD LOWEST OF RECORD
     AND LOWEST SINCE 2018. AVEAGE SPEED IS 6.2-MPH.
 MAY...SNOWFALL OF 5.0 WAS THE NINTH HIGHEST OF RECORD AND
HIGHEST SINCE 1991. AVERAGE IS 0.7.
 JUN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 66.0F WAS THE SECOND WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 1988. AVERAGE IS 58.9F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.23-INCHES WAS THE DRIEST OF RECORD.
       AVERAGE IS 2.54-INCHES.
 JUL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 72.9F WAS THE SECOND WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 67.4F.
 AUG...MONTHLY PEAK WIND GUST OF 79-MPH WAS AN ALL-TIME HIGH FOR
   BOZEMAN. OLD RECORD WAS 78-MPH SET JULY 30, 1957.
 SEP...PRECIPITATION OF 0.12-INCHES WAS THE SIXTH DRIEST OF RECORD
     AND DRIEST SINCE 2003. AVERAGE IS 1.00-INCHES.
 NOV...PRECIPITATION OF 0.22-INCHES WAS THE SIXTH DRIEST OF RECORD
     AND DRIEST SINCE 2006. AVERAGE IS 0.74-INCHES.
       AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 37.8F WAS THE SIXTH WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2016. AVERAGE IS 30.0F.
 DEC...AVERAGE WIND SPPED OF 7.3-MPH WAS THE 10TH HIGHEST OF RECORD
     AND HIGHEST SINCE 1979. AVERAGE IS 5.7-MPH. SNOWFALL AT MSU
OF 26.4 WAS THE 8TH HIGHEST OF RECORD.
 SPRING (MAR-MAY)...SNOWFALL OF 28.3 WAS THE FIFTH HIGHEST OF RECORD
      AND HIGHEST SINCE 1995. AVERAGE IS 17.7.
       AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 5.8-MPH WAS THE FOURTH LOWEST OF
RECORD AND LOWEST SINCE 2018. AVERAGE IS 6.6-MPH.
 SUMMER (JUN-AUG)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 68.1F WAS THE THIRD
WARMEST OF RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 64.0F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 2.84-INCHES WAS THE TENTH DRIEST OF RECORD
    AND DRIEST SINCE 2017. AVERAGE IS 4.56-INCHES.
 FALL (SEP-NOV)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 69.5F WAS THE SECOND
WARMEST       OF RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 43.2F.
 WATER YEAR ENDING SEP...PRECIPITATION OF 9.80-INCHES WAS THE FIFTH
      DRIEST OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE 2012. AVERAGE IS 13.43-
INCHES.


CUT BANK...

 FEB...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 9.3F WAS THE 8TH COLDEST OF RECORD AND

       COLDEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 23.1F.
       SNOWFALL OF 13.6 WAS THE SEVENTH HIGHEST OF RECORD AND
HIGHEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 6.8.
       MONTHLY PEAK WIND OF 80-MPH WAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST OF RECORD
     FOR FEBRUARY...AND THE HIGHEST FEBRUARY GUST SINCE 1961.
 MAR...PEAK WIND GUST OF 88-MPH ON THE 28TH SET A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH
     FOR MARCH, EXCEEDING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 78-MPH SET MARCH
  1, 1961.
 MAY...SNOWFALL OF 10.6 WAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST OF RECORD AND
HIGHEST SINCE 2002. AVERAGE IS 1.2.
 JUN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 62.4F WAS THE SEVENTH WARMEST OF
 RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2015. AVERAGE IS 57.6F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.66-INCH WAS THE SIXTH DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 2.73.
       PEAK WIND GUST OF 73-MPH ON THE 15TH SET A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH
     FOR JUNE, EXCEEDING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 71-MPH SET JUNE 6,
    1994.
 JUL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 70.7F WAS THE FOURTH WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 64.9F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.03-INCH WAS THE FOURTH DRIEST OF RECORD
    AND DRIEST SINCE 1959. AVERAGE IS 1.27.
 NOV...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 20.0-MPH WAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST OF
  RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 1990. AVERAGE IS 15.3-MPH.
       WIND GUST OF 87-MPH ON THE 16TH WAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST GUST
    OF RECORD FOR NOVEMBER.
 SUMMER (JUN-AUG)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 65.5F WAS THE FOURTH
 WARMEST OF RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 62.1F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 2.36-INCHES WAS THE NINTH DRIEST OF RECORD
     AND DRIEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 4.98.
 FALL (SEP-NOV)...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 15.2-MPH WAS THE NINTH
 HIGHEST OF RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 1991. AVERAGE IS 13.3-MPH.
 WATER YEAR ENDING SEP...SNOWFALL OF 73.2 WAS THE EIGHTH HIGHEST OF
     RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 2020. AVERAGE IS 45.6.


DILLON...

 JAN...PEAK WIND GUST OF 66-MPH ON THE 13TH WAS THE THIRD HIGHEST
   GUST OF RECORD FOR JANUARY. RECORD IS 75-MPH SET IN 1984.
 FEB...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 16.5F WAS THE SIXTH COLDEST OF RECORD
      AND COLDEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 24.5F.
 MAR...MONTHLY PEAK WIND GUST OF 71-MPH WAS AN ALL-TIME HIGH FOR
   MARCH AT DILLON. OLD RECORD WAS 61-MPH SET IN 1974.
 JUN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 64.6F WAS THE THIRD WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2015. AVERAGE IS 56.6F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.05-INCH WAS THE DRIEST OF RECORD.
       AVERAGE IS 1.90.
 JUL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 70.2F WAS THE FIFTH WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2017. AVERAGE IS 64.9F.
 AUG...PEAK WIND GUST OF 69-MPH ON THE 17TH WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST
    GUST OF RECORD FOR AUGUST. RECORD IS 70-MPH SET IN 2013.
 OCT...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 10.7-MPH WAS THE SEVENTH HIGHEST OF
   RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 1990. AVERAGE IS 8.8-MPH.
 NOV...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 37.3F WAS THE EIGHTH WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2016. AVERAGE IS 29.9F.
       PEAK WIND GUST OF 60-MPH ON THE 15TH WAS THE THIRD HIGHEST
   GUST OF RECORD FOR NOVEMBER. RECORD IS 65-MPH SET IN 1949.
       NO SNOW FELL IN NOVEMBER, WHICH RANKS AS THE LOWEST OF RECORD.
 SUMMER (JUN-AUG)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 65.9F WAS THE SIXTH
WARMEST OF RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2003. AVERAGE IS 61.6F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 1.54-INCHES WAS THE FIFTH DRIEST OF RECORD
     AND DRIEST SINCE 1996. AVERAGE IS 3.69.
 FALL (SEP-NOV)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 46.4F WAS THE EIGHTH
WARMEST       OF RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2016. AVERAGE IS
42.3F.
 WATER YEAR ENDING SEP...PRECIPITATION OF 7.99-INCHES WAS THE
SEVENTH       DRIEST OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE 2020. AVERAGE IS
11.28-   INCHES.
       SNOWFALL OF 21.5 WAS THE NINTH LOWEST OF RECORD AND
LOWEST SINCE 2016. AVERAGE IS 33.0.


GREAT FALLS...

 JAN...SNOWFALL OF 0.9 WAS THE NINTH LOWEST OF RECORD AND LEAST
 SINCE 1995. AVERAGE IS 9.2.
       MONTHLY PEAK WIND GUST OF 76-MPH ON THE 13TH SET AN ALL-TIME
     HIGH FOR JANUARY. OLD RECORD WAS 74-MPH SET IN 2012.
 FEB...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 12.4F WAS THE SIXTH COLDEST OF RECORD
      AND COLDEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 26.2F.
 MAY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 48.6F WAS THE SEVENTH COOLEST OF
 RECORD, AND THE COOLEST SINCE 2010. AVERAGE IS 51.5F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 4.30-INCHES WAS THE TENTH WETTEST OF RECORD
      AND WETTEST SINCE 1981. AVERAGE IS 2.43.
       HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 30F ON THE 21ST WAS THE LATEST ON RECORD
IN        THE SPRING FOR A HIGH TEMPERATURE BELOW FREEZING. PREVIOUS
   LATEST WAS MAY 7, 2002.
 JUN...PRECIPITATION OF 0.45-INCH WAS THE THIRD DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 2015. AVERAGE IS 2.72.
 JUL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 73.7F WAS THE FOURTH WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 67.9F.
       AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 7.9-MPH WAS THE FOURTH LOWEST OF
RECORD AND LOWEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 9.0-MPH.
 OCT...PEAK GUST OF 66-MPH WAS THE HIGHEST OCTOBER GUST SINCE 1991.
       24-HOUR SNOWFALL OF 12.4 WAS THE HIGHEST OF RECORD FOR SUCH
    A PERIOD. THE PREVIOUS HIGH WAS 8.3 IN 1957.
 NOV...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 16.8-MPH WAS THE ROURTH HIGHEST OF
  RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 2021. AVERAGE IS 13.6-MPH.
 DEC...PEAK GUST OF 71-MPH ON THE 1ST WAS THE FIFTH HIGHEST GUST OF
     RECORD FOR DECEMBER. HIGHEST GUST IS 79-MPH SET IN 1958.


HAVRE...

 JAN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 28.2F WAS THE NINTH WARMEST OF RECORD
      AND WARMEST SINCE 2006. AVERAGE IS 17.7F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.02-INCH WAS THE THIRD DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 1992. AVERAGE IS 0.43.
       SNOWFALL OF A TRACE TIED FOR THE LOWEST OF RECORD WITH 1973.
      AVERAGE IS 9.0.
       MONTHLY PEAK WIND OF 78-MPH ON THE 13TH SET A NEW ALL-TIME
    HIGH GUST FOR JANUARY. THE OLD RECORD WAS 73-MPH SET IN 1988.
 MAY...SNOWFALL OF 6.8 WAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST OF RECORD AND
HIGHEST SINCE 1982. AVERAGE IS 0.4.
 JUN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 67.4F WAS THE SEVENTH WARMEST OF
 RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 1988. AVERAGE IS 62.1F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.12-INCH WAS THE DRIEST OF RECORD.
       AVERAGE IS 2.49.
 JUL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 75.5F WAS THE FOURTH WARMEST OF RECORD
       AND WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 69.8F.
 SEP...PRECIPITATION OF 0.05-INCH WAS THE SECOND DRIEST OF RECORD
    AND DRIEST SINCE 1990. AVERAGE IS 1.06.
 NOV...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 30.0-MPH ON THE 16TH WAS THE THIRD
  WINDIEST NOVEMBER DAY AND THE WINDIEST DAY AT HAVRE SINCE   MAY 4,
2010 WHICH HAD AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 33.0-MPH SUMMER (JUN-
AUG)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 70.3F WAS THE FOURTH  WARMEST OF
RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2001. AVERAGE IS 66.8F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 1.67-INCHES WAS THE THIRD DRIEST OF RECORD
     AND DRIEST SINCE 2017. AVERAGE IS 4.94.
 FALL (SEP-NOV)...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 11.1-MPH WAS THE SIXTH
 HIGHEST OF RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 1978. AVERAGE IS 8.9-MPH.
       AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 48.3F WAS THE FIFTH WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 1963. AVERAGE IS 44.2F.
 WATER YEAR ENDING SEP...PRECIPITATION OF 7.41-INCHES WAS THE SIXTH
      DRIEST OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE 1997. AVERAGE IS 11.82.


HELENA... JAN...MONTHLY PEAK WIND OF 80-MPH ON THE 13TH SET A NEW
ALL-TIME     HIGH GUST FOR JANUARY. THE OLD RECORD WAS 71-MPH SET IN
1972.
       THIS IS THE THIRD HIGHEST GUST OF RECORD FOR HELENA. THE
  HIGHEST OF 84-MPH WAS SET JULY 3, 1975.
       AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 30.5F WAS THE TENTH WARMEST OF RECORD
      AND WARMEST SINCE 2006. AVERAGE IS 23.0F.
 MAR...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 23.8-MPH ON THE 29TH WAS THE SECOND
   HIGHEST OF RECORD FOR MARCH AND THE WINDIEST DAY AT HELENA
SINCE DECEMBER 12, 1953, WHICH AVERAGED 25.9-MPH.
 MAY...SNOWFALL OF 8.0 WAS THE NINTH HIGHEST OF RECORD AND
HIGHEST SINCE 1983. AVERAGE IS 0.1.
 JUN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 69.4F WAS THE SECOND WARMEST OF
RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2015. AVERAGE IS 61.7F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.41-INCH WAS THE SIXTH DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 1985. AVERAGE IS 2.21.
 JUL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 77.6F WAS THE SECOND WARMEST OF RECORD
       AND WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 70.6F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.09-INCH WAS THE THIRD DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 2018. AVERAGE IS 1.06.
       AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 6.0-MPH WAS THE FOURTH LOWEST OF
RECORD AND LOWEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 6.9-MPH.
 SEP...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 62.6F WAS THE SIXTH WARMEST OF
RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2009. AVERAGE IS 58.9F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.03-INCH WAS THE FOURTH DRIEST OF RECORD
    AND DRIEST SINCE 2017. AVERAGE IS 0.96.
       PEAK WIND OF 60-MPH ON THE 18TH WAS THE FIFTH HIGHEST GUST
   OF RECORD FOR SEPTEMBER. RECORD GUST IS 64-MPH SET IN 1999.
 WATER YEAR (OCT-SEP)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 47.7F WAS THE SIXTH
    WARMEST OF RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2016. AVERAGE IS 45.5F.
 SUMMER (JUN-AUG)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 72.0F WAS THE WARMEST
  WARMEST OF RECORD, EXCEEDING THE OLD RECORD OF 71.4F SET IN
2007. AVERAGE IS 67.0F FALL (SEP-NOV)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 50.6F
WAS THE SECOND WARMEST       OF RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2001.
AVERAGE IS 45.7F.
       SNOWFALL OF 0.5 WAS THE THIRD LOWEST OF RECORD AND LEAST
 SINCE 1953. AVERAGE IS 8.4.


LEWISTOWN... JAN...PEAK WIND GUST OF 77-MPH ON THE 13TH IS THE
SECOND HIGHEST    GUST OF RECORD FOR JANUARY. THE HIGHEST IS 85-MPH
SET IN 1967.
 MAR...PRECIPITATION OF 0.24-INCH WAS THE SIXTH DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 0.87.
 APR...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 8.4-MPH WAS THE FOURTH LOWEST OF
RECORD AND LOWEST SINCE 1983. AVERAGE IS 9.9-MPH.
 JUN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 64.5F WAS THE SEVENTH WARMEST OF
 RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 1988. AVERAGE IS 58.0F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 1.08-INCH WAS THE FIFTH DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 2016. AVERAGE IS 3.35.
       AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 7.4-MPH WAS THE EIGHTH LOWEST OF
RECORD AND LOWEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 8.7-MPH.
 JUL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 72.7F WAS THE SECOND WARMEST OF RECORD
       AND WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 66.1F.
       PEAK WIND GUST OF 73-MPH ON THE 7TH IS AN ALL-TIME HIGH FOR
    JULY. THE OLD RECORD WAS 72-MPH SET IN 2002.
 SEP...PRECIPITATION OF 0.07-INCH WAS THE THIRD DRIEST OF RECORD
   AND DRIEST SINCE 2012. AVERAGE IS 1.33.
 NOV...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 12.9-MPH WAS THE TENTH HIGHEST OF
 RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 2006. AVERAGE IS 10.4-MPH.
       AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 27.8-MPH ON THE 28TH WAS THE FOURTH
  WINDIEST NOVEMBER DAY AND THE WINDIEST DAY AT LEWISTOWN   SINCE
OCTOBER 22, 2011 WHICH HAD AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 28.4-MPH.
       AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 39.1F WAS THE TENTH WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2016. AVERAGE IS 32.1F.
 SPRING (MAR-MAY)...AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 8.9-MPH WAS THE SIXTH
  LOWEST OF RECORD AND LOWEST SINCE 2019. AVERAGE IS 9.7-MPH.
 SUMMER (JUN-AUG)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 67.4F WAS THE FOURTH
 WARMEST OF RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 1961. AVERAGE IS 63.2F.
       FALL (SEP-NOV)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 48.2F WAS THE SEVENTH
       WARMEST OF RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 1990. AVERAGE IS
43.8F.
 WATER YEAR ENDING SEP...PRECIPITATION OF 11.20-INCHES WAS THE
SECOND DRIEST OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE 1919. AVERAGE IS    17.17.

WEST YELLOWSTONE... JAN...A GUST OF 70-MPH WAS REPORTED ON THE 13TH.
THIS IS AN ALL-    TIME HIGH GUST FOR JANUARY. THE PREVIOUS REORD
WAS 51-MPH   SET IN 2012.
 MAY...SNOWFALL OF 13.5 WAS THE FIFTH HIGHEST OF RECORD AND MOST
  SINCE 1959. AVERAGE IS 2.5.
 JUN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 56.4F WAS THE NINTH WARMEST OF
RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2015. AVERAGE IS 51.7F.
       PRECIPITATION OF 0.10-INCH WAS THE DRIEST OF RECORD.
       AVERAGE IS 2.19.
       PEAK WIND GUST OF 61-MPH ON THE 5TH IS AN ALL-TIME HIGH
GUST FOR JUNE. THE OLD RECORD WAS 54-MPH LAST SET IN 2017.
 AUG...PRECIPITATION OF 3.21-INCH WAS THE SIXTH WETTEST OF RECORD
    AND WETTEST SINCE 2014. AVERAGE IS 1.05.
 NOV...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 31.3F WAS THE THIRD WARMEST OF
RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 1999. AVERAGE IS 22.9F.
 DEC...PRECIPITATION OF 4.13-INCHES WAS THE EIGHTH HIGHEST OF RECORD
      AND HIGHEST SINCE 2012. AVERAGE IS 2.70-INCHES. SNOWFALL OF
 52.2-INCHES WAS THE NINTH HIGHEST OF RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE
2015.
 SUMMER (JUN-AUG)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 58.6F WAS THE EIGHTH
 WARMEST OF RECORD AND WARMEST SINCE 2007. AVERAGE IS 56.1F.
 FALL (SEP-NOV)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 38.9F WAS THE NINTH WARMEST
      OF RECORD, AND THE WARMEST SINCE 2001. AVERAGE IS 35.9F.


FOLLOWING IS A MONTHLY LISTING OF THE EXTREMES RECORDED AND
LOCATIONS.

           TEMPERATURE

JANUARY...HIGH TEMP........CHINOOK................60F ON THE 13TH
                           FORT BELKNAP...........60F ON THE 13TH
          LOW TEMP.........WEST YELLOWSTONE......-20F ON THE 26TH
                           WISDOM................-20F ON THE 26TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...HEBGEN DAM.............3.10 INCHES
                           BLACK BEAR SNOTEL......5.90 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...DEEP CREEK RAWS.......100 MPH ON THE 19TH
                           NEAR MOORE.............94 MPH ON THE 13TH

FEBRUARY..HIGH TEMP........ARMELLS CREEK RAWS.....66F ON THE  2ND
                           LOMA...................66F ON THE  2ND
          LOW TEMP.........ULM...................-47F ON THE 12TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...EAST GLACIER...........3.60 INCHES
                           SHOWER FALLS SNOTEL....7.30 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...DEEP CREEK RAWS....... 95 MPH ON THE 21ST
                           TWO MEDICINE...........87 MPH ON THE 22ND
#####
MARCH.....HIGH TEMP........LOMA...................72F ON THE 28TH
                           GRASS RANGE............72F ON THE 19TH
                           VALENTINE..............72F ON THE 19TH
          LOW TEMP.........ULM...................-16F ON THE 11TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...WEST YELLOWSTONE.......1.50 INCHES
                           BLACK BEAR SNOTEL......4.10 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...LONE PEAK.............104 MPH ON THE 28TH
                           CUT BANK...............88 MPH ON THE 28TH

APRIL.....HIGH TEMP........TWIN BRIDGES...........86F ON THE 30TH
          LOW TEMP.........DARKHORSE LAKE SNOTEL.. 1F ON THE 11TH
                           CARROT BASIN SNOTEL.... 1F ON THE 11TH
                           ELK PARK............... 1F ON THE 20TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...SHONKIN................2.87 INCHES
                           BADGER PASS SNOTEL.....4.20 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...DEEP CREEK RAWS........73 MPH ON THE  7TH
                           TWO MEDICINE...........66 MPH ON THE  7TH
#####
MAY.......HIGH TEMP........FORT BENTON............89F ON THE 17TH
                           LOMA...................89F ON THE 17TH
          LOW TEMP.........YELLOW MULE RAWS.......13F ON THE  9TH
                           CLOVER MEADOW SNOTEL...13F ON THE  9TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...SHONKIN................4.73 INCHES
                           COPPER CAMP SNOTEL.....7.40 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...TWO MEDICINE...........72 MPH ON THE 20TH

JUNE......HIGH TEMP........SAND CREEK............107F ON THE 15TH
          LOW TEMP.........WISDOM.................20F ON THE 11TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...GIBSON DAM.............1.94 INCHES
                           LEWISTOWN 11SSE........1.94 INCHES
                           DUPUYER CREEK SNOTEL...4.90 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...DEEP CREEK RAWS........79 MPH ON THE 14TH
                           CUT BANK...............73 MPH ON THE 15TH
#####
JULY......HIGH TEMP........ARMELLS CREEK.........104F ON THE 18TH
          LOW TEMP.........GATES PARK RAWS........27F ON THE 23RD
          HIGHEST PRECIP...ALDER 19S..............1.87 INCHES
                           SHORT CREEK SNOTEL.....2.40 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...BIG SANDY..............77 MPH ON THE 11TH

AUGUST....HIGH TEMP........VALENTINE.............101F ON THE  1ST
          LOW TEMP.........GATES PARK RAWS........21F ON THE 24TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...NEAR BOZEMAN...........3.76 INCHES
                           MADISON PLATEAU........5.00 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...BOZEMAN APT............79 MPH ON THE 30TH
#####
SEPTEMBER.HIGH TEMP........ARMELLS CREEK RAWS.... 94F ON THE 18TH
          LOW TEMP.........ELK PARK...............10F ON THE 30TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...WEST YELLOWSTONE.......0.92 INCHES
                           BLACK BEAR SNOTEL......2.00 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...ELKHORN RAWS...........65 MPH ON THE 19TH
                           DEEP CREEK RAWS........78 MPH ON THE 15TH

OCTOBER...HIGH TEMP........ARMELLS CREEK..........90F ON THE 5TH
          LOW TEMP.........GATES PARK............ -2F ON THE 13TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...GOAT HAUNT.............7.05 INCHES
                           LAKEVIEW DIVIDE SNOTEL.8.70 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...DEEP CREEK RAWS........78 MPH ON THE 28TH
                           HIGHWOOD...............74 MPH ON THE 27TH
#####
NOVEMBER..HIGH TEMP........FORT BENTON/HIGHWOOD...73F ON THE 4TH
          LOW TEMP.........JUDITH RIVER WMA.......-2F ON THE 1ST
          HIGHEST PRECIP...GOAT HAUNT.............8.58 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...DEEP CREEK RAWS........92 MPH ON THE 27TH
                           AUGUSTA, BROWNING......75 MPH ON THE 5TH

DECEMBER..HIGH TEMP........ARMELLS CREEK..........74F ON THE 1ST
          LOW TEMP.........CHINOOK................-38F ON THE 28TH
          HIGHEST PRECIP...GOAT HAUNT.............8.06 INCHES
                           MOUNT LOCKHART SNOTEL..9.50 INCHES
          HIGH WIND GUST...DEEP CREEK RAWS.......108 MPH ON THE 1ST
                           TWO MEDICINE..........102 MPH ON THE 1ST
#####

FOLLOWING IS A MONTHLY SUMMARY OF WEATHER CONDITIONS OBSERVED.

JANUARY...

A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WAS OVER WESTERN NORTH AMERICA DURING
JANUARY, BRINGING WESTERLY FLOW. NORMALLY, FLOW IS FROM THE
NORTHWEST, BUT THIS WESTERLY FLOW BROUGHT GENERALLY ABOVE NORMAL
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES, EXCEPT OVER NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. IT ALSO
BROUGHT ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVER WESTERN MONTANA, BUT VERY
DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS EASTERN MONTANA. THE FIRST WEEK OF THE MONTH
WAS MILD, WITH SOME HEAVY SNOW OVER THE WESTERN PORTIONS ON THE 1ST.
GUSTY WINDS PREVAILED ON THE 4TH, WITH GUSTS OF 76 MPH AT CUT BANK
AND 74 MPH AT FORT BELKNAP. THE 7TH ALSO BROUGHT GUSTY WINDS, WITH
SPEEDS REACHING 73 MPH NEAR PENDROY AND 73 MPH WEST OF BYNUM. HEAVY
SNOW FELL AT LINCOLN (10-INCHES) AND KINGS HILL (12-INCHES). COLDER
AIR SETTLED ACROSS THE AREA BY THE 9TH. SIMPSON RECORDED THE LOWEST
TEMPERATURE IN THE STATE ON THE 15TH (-36F). WINDS PICKED UP AS
WARMER AIR MOVED IN ON THE 18TH. WIND CHILLS AS LOW AS -41F WERE
FELT AT HAVRE AND SWEET GRASS. FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH, MILD
CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THIS ALSO BROUGHT A WINDIER PERIOD AS WELL.
THE WARMEST DAY WAS THE 24TH, WHEN FORT BENTON REACHED 59F. STRONG
WINDS BEGAN ON THE 31ST AND CONTINUED ON FEBRUARY 1ST. ON THE 31ST,
GUSTS REACHED 97 MPH AT DEEP CREEK RAWS AND 91 MPH AT BABB. EVEN
STRONGER GUSTS OF 106 MPH OCCURRED AT DEEP CREEK RAWS ON FEBRUARY
1ST. WIDESPREAD GUSTS OVER 80 MPH WERE MEASURED OVER PORTIONS OF THE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT, INCLUDING GREAT FALLS.  WEST YELLOWSTONE
RECORDED THEIR WARMEST JANUARY SINCE 2003, WHILE HELENA HAD THEIR
WARMEST SINCE 2007. BOZEMAN HAD THEIR THIRD WARMEST OF RECORD, AND
WARMEST SINCE 1994.
DILLON HAD THEIR 4TH DRIEST JANUARY OF RECORD AND DRIEST SINCE 2015.
HELENA HAD THEIR DRIEST JANUARY SINCE 2007, AND 5TH LOWEST JANUARY
SNOWFALL. AS A WHOLE, THE AREA HAD THEIR DRIEST JANUARY SINCE 2009.

THE EXTENDED DRYNESS, WHICH STARTED AROUND DECEMBER 1, 2019,
RESULTED IN A 68-DAY STRETCH DURING WHICH NO MORE THAN 0.15 HAS
FALLEN AT HELENA FOR A 66-DAY PERIOD. THIS IS THEIR 7TH LONGEST
PERIOD FOR THIS ELEMENT...THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY.

########

FEBRUARY...

BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES DOMINATED THE AREA WITH ABOVE NORMAL
PRECIPITATION MOST AREAS. WINDS AVERAGED ABOVE NORMAL AS NORTHWEST
FLOW ALOFT PREVAILED DURING THE MONTH.

THE HI-LINE HAD THE COOLEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. TURNER RECORDED
THE COLDEST AVERAGE OF 5.5F. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH
WAS -47F AT ULM ON THE 12TH.

########

MARCH...

TEMPERATURES OVER THE AREA AVERAGED SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. THE FIRST
70F DAY OCCURRED ON THE 6TH, WHICH WAS ABOUT A MONTH EARLIER THAN
NORMAL. FORT BENTON AND LOMA REACHED 72F. COOLER CONDITIONS FOLLOWED
WITH SOME SNOW ON THE 7TH. FROM THE 11TH THROUGH 22ND PERIODS OF
HEAVY SNOW FELL, AND THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE MONTH OCCURRED.

BADGER PASS AND NEVADA RIDGE FELL TO -15F ON THE 15TH. TEMPERATURES
WERE AS MUCH AS 40 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL DURING THIS TIME. THE REST
OF THE MONTH AVERAGED A FEW DEGREES ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL, WITH
SNOW FALLING AGAIN ON THE 31ST. THE HI-LINE EXPERIENCED THE GREATEST
NEGATIVE DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL. CUT BANK AVERAGED 3.9F FOR THE
MONTH. WEST YELLOWSTONE AVERAGED 1.1F ABOVE NORMAL. THIS WAS ONE
SMALL AREA WHERE TEMPERATURES AVERAGED ABOVE NORMAL.

PRECIPITATION WAS GENERALLY SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. THERE WERE AREAS
OF ABOVE NORMAL IN THE SOUTHWEST AND THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. THE
HIGHEST AMOUNTS FELL OVER PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST. A SWATH OF THE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT HAD DOUBLE THEIR NORMAL MARCH MOISTURE.

THERE WERE NOTABLE SNOWFALL TOTALS. THE GREATEST MONTHLY TOTAL WAS
26.9-INCHES AT CHOTEAU. THIS WAS THEIR SECOND HIGHEST TOTAL FOR
MARCH. IN 1898 THEY RECEIVED 36-INCHES. BOZEMAN AIRPORT (18.1-IN)
HAD THEIR 6TH HIGHEST MARCH TOTAL. GREAT FALLS (21.3-IN) HAD THEIR
9TH HIGHEST TOTAL FOR MARCH, AND MOST SINCE 2005.

########

APRIL...

OVERALL, TEMPERATURES IN APRIL AVERAGED BELOW NORMAL. UPPER LEVEL
FLOW WAS GENERALLY FROM THE NORTHWEST. PRECIPITATION WAS BELOW
NORMAL, WITH POCKETS OF ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT,
AND IN EASTERN CHOUTEAU AND EASTERN FERGUS COUNTIES. WIND AVERAGES
WERE NEAR NORMAL.   TEMPERATURES OVER THE AREA AVERAGED BELOW
NORMAL. TEMPERATURES STRUGGLED TO RISE TO ABOVE NORMAL VALUES UNTIL
NEAR THE END OF THE MONTH. WHILE SOME AERAS SAW THEIR FIRST 70F DAY
ON THE 21ST, THE BIGGER WARM-UP DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE 29TH, WITH
SEVERAL LOCATIONS PUSHING ABOVE 80F. THE MONTH STARTED WITH VERY
COLD TEMPERATURES AND SNOW. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE TEENS WERE SOME
OF THE COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURES OF RECORD FOR THE START OF APRIL.
ROCKY BOY FELL TO -14F ON THE 2ND, FOR THE LOWEST AREA TEMPERATURE
OF THE MONTH. WINDY AND WARMER CONDITIONS PREVAILED ON THE 7TH, WITH
GUSTS OF 62 MPH NEAR FORT BENTON. SNOW FELL OVER THE REGION ON THE
11TH AND 12TH. ULM PICKED UP 7-INCHES, WHILE 17-INCHES FELL IN THE
HELENA AREA AND 10-INCHES AT BYNUM. TEMPERATURES AGAIN FELL BELOW
ZERO, WITH -3F RECORDED AT GREAT FALLS ON THE 12TH. THERE WERE
NOTABLE SNOWFALL TOTALS. THE GREATEST MONTHLY TOTAL WAS 25.8-INCHES
AT NEAR LEWISTOWN. BOZEMAN AIRPORT (10.2-IN) HAD THEIR 8TH HIGHEST
APRIL TOTAL.   SOME AREAS CONTINUED TO HAVE HEAVY SNOWFALL IN APRIL,
SO SEASONAL SNOWFALL RECORDS CONTINUE TO BE SET. THE FOLLOWING SHOWS
THE CURRENT SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON.

            SEASON THROUGH APRIL 30 (INCHES OF SNOW)
              CURRENT  PREV RECORD   RECORD FOR SEASON
CHOTEAU       110.3    92.9 2017-18   92.9 2017-18 ***
CUT BANK       99.3    76.2 1946-47   76.2 1946-47 ***
SUN RIVER      89.4    86.0 1966-67   93.8 1966-67
TURNER         82.2    74.2 2009-10   74.2 2009-10 ***

*** THESE LOCATIONS HAVE SET NEW SNOWFALL RECORDS FOR THE SEASON.

########

MAY...

FOR MAY, THE AVERAGE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WAS GENERALLY FROM THE WEST
OVER MONTANA. IN THE AREA, TEMPERATURES NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW
NORMAL, WITH PRECIPITATION MOSTLY NEAR NORMAL.  WIND AVERAGES WERE
ABOVE NORMAL.

THE MONTH BEGAN WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES, COOLING TO A PERIOD
OF BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE 15TH. THE COOL AIR SET A
RECORD LOW AT GREAT FALLS (26F) ON THE 5TH, WHILE YELLOW MULE
(GALLATIN) DROPPED TO 16F ON THE 7TH. STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN
OCCURRED FROM THE 6TH-8TH. AMOUNTS OF UP TO TWO INCHES FELL THROUGH
CENTRAL MONTANA. HEAVY SNOW FELL AS WELL. SHOWDOWN REPORTED A FOOT,
WITH 11-INCHES AT LEWISTOWN AND 10-INCHES AT HIGHWOOD. MORE HEAVY
RAIN FELL IN THE CLANCY AREA ON THE 12TH, WITH UP TO 1.5-INCHES OF
PRECIPITATION.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ON THE 18TH. WIND
GUSTS REACHED 69 MPH NEAR POWER AND 73 MPH NEAR HILGER. SEVERE
THUNDERSTOMS AGAIN ON THE 19TH PRODUCED 1.25-INCH HAIL NEAR
LEWISTOWN. ON THE 20TH, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED 1-INCH HAIL
NEAR VAUGHN. A LARGE STORM SYSTEM BROUGHT HEAVY RAIN TO MUCH OF THE
AREA ON THE 21ST. OVER 2.5-INCHES OF RAIN FELL OVER THE ROCKIES AND
ADJACENT PLAINS. GUSTY WINDS DURING THIS STORM WERE AS HIGH AS 61
MPH AT CUT BANK AND 56 MPH AT GREAT FALLS. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD WITH
NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES, THE END OF THE MONTH WARMED UP. A RECORD
HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS SET AT DILLON AND ENNIS ON THE 30TH. ON THE
31ST. STRONG WINDS BEHIND A COLD FRONT GUSTED TO 66 MPH AT CUT BANK.

########

JUNE...

FOR JUNE, THE AVERAGE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WAS GENERALLY FROM THE WEST-
SOUTHWEST, WHICH WAS NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. IN THE AREA, TEMPERATURES
AVERAGED NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL, WITH PRECIPITATION MOSTLY
ABOVE NORMAL. WIND AVERAGES WERE NEAR TO ABOVE  NORMAL.

THE MONTH BEGAN WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES, COOLING TO A PERIOD
OF BELOW NORMAL ON THE 7TH. THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH THE BOZEMAN
AREA ON THE 6TH, WITH GUSTS REACHING 57-MPH, WHICH WAS THEIR
STRONGEST JUNE GUST SINCE 2000. A STORM SYSTEM BROUGHT COOLER AIR
AND HEAVY PRECIPITATION TO THE AREA FROM THE 7TH-8TH. MALMSTROM AFB
RECORDED TWO INCHES OF RAIN, WITH 1.70-INCHES NEAR WISDOM. HIGHER
ELEVATIONS REPORTED SNOW, WITH 19-INCHES AT ALBRO LAKE AND 12-INCHES
AT DARKHORSE LAKE. EVEN POLARIS MEASURED THREE INCHES. THE COOL AIR
CAUSED THE TEMPERATURE TO MAX-OUT AT 49F AT BOZEMAN ON THE 17TH.
THIS TIED THEIR DAILY COOLEST TEMPERATURE AND IS ONE OF THE COOLEST
LATE-JUNE HIGH TEMPERATURES OF RECORD AT BOZEMAN.

########

JULY...

DURING JULY, THE AVERAGE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WAS GENERALLY FROM THE
WEST, WHICH WAS NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. IN THE AREA, TEMPERATURES
AVERAGED NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL, WITH PRECIPITATION MOSTLY
BELOW NORMAL.  WIND AVERAGES WERE NEAR TO ABOVE NORMAL.

ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME WARMER DAYS, TEMPERATURES GENERALLY
AVERAGED BELOW NORMAL FOR THE FIRST 20 DAYS OF JULY. THUNDERSTORMS
REGULARLY OCCURRED DURING THIS TIME, TOO. THE FIRST 100F DAY OF THE
SEASON OCCURRED ON JULY 22ND WITH ARMELLS CREEK AND VALENTINE
REACHING 100F. THIS FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 15-DAYS LATER THAN THE
AVERAGE OF JULY 7. LAST YEARS FIRST 100F DAY OF THE SEASON WAS ON
JULY 23. A COLD FRONT TRIGGERED THUNDERSTORMS ON THE 23RD, WITH WIND
GUSTS TO 66-MPH NEAR BELGRADE. THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SOUTHWEST
PRODUCED HEAVY RAIN ON THE 24TH. RAINFALL OF UP TO ONE-INCH FELL
AROUND GRANT (BEAVERHEAD), WHILE 1.5 TO A LITTLE OVER 2-INCHES FELL
FROM ENNIS SOUTH THROUGH CAMERON. TEMPERATURES WARMED TO ABOVE
NORMAL VALUES TO END THE MONTH. A 100F TEMPERATURE WAS AGAIN
REPORTED ON THE 30TH 19 MILES SOUTH OF RUDYARD. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ON THE 31ST PRODUCED 2-INCH HAIL NEAR LOTHAIR (LIBERTY), WITH
SIGNIFICANT CROP AND PROPERTY DAMAGE REPORTED.

AS FOR PRECIPITATION, DRY AREAS WERE VERY DRY. CUT BANK RECORDED
ONLY A TENTH OF AN INCH, WHICH WAS THEIR 10 DRIEST AND DRIEST JULY
SINCE 2005.

########

AUGUST...

THE AVERAGE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WAS GENERALLY FROM THE WEST, WHICH WAS
NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. THE RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES WAS
STRONGER THAN NORMAL. TEMPERATURES AVERAGED ABOVE NORMAL WHILE
PRECIPITATION WAS BELOW NORMAL. WIND AVERAGES WERE NEAR OR BELOW
NORMAL.

THE FIRST SIX DAYS OF AUGUST HAD ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES, BELOW
NORMAL FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH.
A COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH THE AREA ON THE 6TH BROUGHT SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTS TO 64-MPH AT TOWNSEND AND 59-MPH AT GREAT
FALLS. MUCH WARMER AIR RETURNED BY THE 16TH, WITH A 102F TEMPERATURE
RECORDED AT FORT BENTON. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON THE 20TH PRODUCED
AROUND ONE-INCH OF RAIN IN 30 MINUTES NEAR CHOTEAU. A STRONGER COLD
FRONT BROUGHT MUCH COOLER AIR TO THE AREA ON THE 20TH, WITH SOME
SNOW AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST ON THE 31ST.

SEVERE DRYNESS REMAINED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. SEVERAL LOCATIONS
HAD THEIR DRIEST AUGUST SINCE 2017, WHILE HAVRE HAD THEIR DRIEST
SINCE 1969.

########

SEPTEMBER...

DURING SEPTEMBER, AVERAGE UPPER LEVEL FLOW FROM THE NORTHWEST
BROUGHT ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES, BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND
SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL WIND SPEEDS.

THE FIRST SIX DAYS OF SEPTEMBER HAD GENERALLY ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES, WITH HIGHS OF 100F ON THE 5TH AT LOMA AND BOZEMAN. THE
LAST YEAR IN WHICH A 100F VALUE WAS RECORDED IN SEPTEMBER IN THE
AREA WAS IN 2001, WHEN FORT BENTON REPORTED THE LATEST EVER 100F IN
MONTANA ON THE 25TH. A SOMEWHAT COOLER PERIOD PERSISTED FOR THE NEXT
WEEK, LOWS DROPPING INTO THE 20S MOST ARAS, AND YELLOW MULE REPORTED
THE AREAS LOWEST ON THE 8TH (14F). SOME SNOW WAS REPORTED AT HIGHER
ELEVATIONS. WARMER CONDITIONS RETURNED, WITH MOST OF THE REST OF THE
MONTH RECORDING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND LITTLE PRECIPITATION.

MANY AREAS RECORDED THEIR FIRST SEASONAL FREEZING TEMPERATURE ON
SEPTEMBER 8. AT GREAT FALLS, THIS WAS THE 6TH EARLIEST OF RECORD AND
EARLIEST SINCE THE LATE AUGUST SNOWS AND COLD OF 1992. THE FREEZE-
FREE SEASON WAS 107 DAYS AT GREAT FALLS, THE 9TH SHORTEST OF RECORD
AND SHORTEST SINCE 2009. THEIR AVERAGE LENGTH IS 122 DAYS. AT
DILLON, THE LOW OF 25F ON THE 8TH WAS THEIR 2ND EARLIEST WITH A
TEMPERATURE OF 25F OR LOWER SO EARLY IN THE SEASON. AT GREAT FALLS,
THEIR LOW OF 28F WAS THE 2ND EARLIEST LOW OF 28F OR LOWER SO EARLY
IN THE SEASON. THE EARLIEST WAS SEPT 6, 1929.

THE DRY AREAS REMAINED DRY. BOZEMAN AND HELENA HAD THEIR DRIEST
SEPTEMBER SINCE 2012.  FOR THE PERIOD FROM JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER,
THIS WAS THE 6TH DRIEST AT CUT BANK (0.99). DILLON RECEIVED ONLY
0.92, WHICH WAS THEIR THIRD DRIEST. AT GREAT FALLS, THE JUL-SEP
PERIOD PRODUCED 1.19-INCHES OF RAIN. THIS WAS THE DRIEST SINCE 1979.
NORMAL IS 4.49-INCHES. HELENA HAD THEIR DRIEST PAST THREE MONTHS OF
RECORD, PICKING UP ONLY 0.58. THE PREVIOUS DRIEST SUMMER PERIOD AT
HELENA WAS IN 1919.

THERE WERE SOME VERY WINDY DAYS DURING SEPTEMBER. ON THE 2ND,
BOZEMAN HAD A DAILY WIND AVERAGE OF 13.9-MPH, WHICH WAS THEIR
WINDIEST SEPTEMBER DAY SINCE 1999. CUT BANK AVERAGED 30.1-MPH ON THE
24TH, WHICH WAS THEIR WINDIEST SEPTEMBER DAY SINCE 1984. A PEAK GUST
OF 69-MPH ON THE 24TH WAS CUT BANKS THIRD HIGHEST SEPTEMBER GUST OF
RECORD AND HIGHEST SINCE 1960. DILLONS DAILY WIND AVERAGE OF 21.7-
MPH ON THE 7TH WAS THEIR WINDIEST SEPTEMBER DAY SINCE 1954 AND
SECOND HIGHEST DAILY SEPTEMBER AVERAGE OF RECORD.

########

OCTOBER...

UPPER LEVEL FLOW DURING OCTOBER WAS GENERALLY FROM THE WEST-
SOUTHWEST. NORMALY FLOW FOR OCTOBER IS FROM THE WEST-NORTHWEST.
TEMPERATURES AVERAGED ABOVE NORMAL WITH BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION
OVER THE PLAINS AND ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION IN THE MOUNTAINS AND
SOUTHWEST. WINDS AVERAGED NEAR NORMAL.

THE MONTH STARTED VERY WARM AND DRY. DILLON HAD THEIR LOWEST
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUE SINCE AUGUST 2012 ON THE 3RD. THE VALUE OF
6.3% WAS THEIR 6TH LOWEST OVERALL AND LOWEST OF RECORD FOR OCTOBER.
A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90F WAS RECORDED AT ARMELLS CREEK ON THE 5TH.
THIS WAS THE LATEST OCCURRANCE OF A HIGH OF 90F SINCE 1980 AND THREE
WEEKS LATER THAN NORMAL. BOZEMAN TIED THEIR RECORD HIGH OF 85F ON
THE 5TH. WEATHER DISTURBANCES BROUGHT RAIN TO SOUTHERN AREAS FROM
THE 6TH-10TH, WITH SNOW OVER SOUTHERN AREAS ON THE 11TH. UP TO TWO
FEET OF SNOW FELL IN THE MOUNTAINS, WITH MUCH LOWER AMOUNTS AT LOWER
ELEVATIONS. AFTER THE STORM MOVED OUT, GATES PARK RECORDED THE
LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH ON THE 13TH, DROPPING TO -2F. THIS
WAS ABOUT 10 DAYS AHEAD OF NORMAL FOR THE FIRST SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURE
IN THE AREA. WARMER AND DRY CONDITIONS RETURNED...AND PREVAILED
THROUGH THE 24TH. A STORM MOVED THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST ON THE 25TH,
PRODUCING UP TO AN INCH OF RAIN. STRONG WINDS OCCURRED ON THE 27TH
AND 28TH. GUSTS OF 74-MPH OCCURRED NEAR HIGHWOOD ON THE 27TH AND 78-
MPH AT DEEP CREEK ON THE 28TH. A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVED THROUGH THE
AREA ON THE 29TH, WITH SOME SNOW ON THE 29TH AND 30TH. COOLER
CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH. AT SOME POINTS IN
NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA, THIS WAS THE FIRST OF ANY SNOW OF THE SEASON,
AND WAS THE LATEST OF SUCH AN EVENT SINCE NOVEMBER 4, 2007.

########

NOVEMBER...

A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE, WHICH WAS STRONGER THAN NORMAL, DOMINATED
IN NOVEMBER. WHILE NOVEMBER HAD ITS NORMAL COOL AND WARM PERIODS,
THE WARM PERIODS WERE WARMER THAN NORMAL AND THE COOL PERIODS WERE
WARMER THAN NORMAL. PRECIPITATION WAS MUCH BELOW NORMAL EAST EXCEPT
IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. WINDS AVERAGED STRONGER THAN NORMAL.

STRONG WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT KEPT PRECIPITATION FALLING OVER THE
MOUNTAINS, BUT DRIED AS IT PASSED OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. ONE
OF THE PERIODS WITH HEAVIER PRECIPITATION IN WESTERN MONTANA WAS
FROM THE 12TH-15TH. SOME POINTS IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES RECEIVED
OVER FIVE-INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. MEANWHILE, VERY STRONG WINDS AND
MILD TEMPERATURES WERE EXPERIENCED ALONG AND EAST OF THE DIVIDE.
DEEP CREEK (GLACIER) RECORDED THEIR HIGHEST GUST OF RECORD ON THE
14TH, REACHING 117-MPH. NEARBY TWO MEDICINE ALSO SET AN ALL-TIME
PEAK GUST RECORD WITH A SPEED OF 96-MPH. ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVIER
PRECIPITATION OCCURRED ON THE 23RD-24TH, WHEN A COLD FRONT MOVED
THROUGH THE STATE. THIS BROUGHT THE FIRST MEASURABLE SNOWFALL TO
MANY PARTS OF CENTRAL MONTANA. WITH MORE THAN ONE-INCH OF SNOW ON
THE GROUND ON THE 24TH, THIS WAS THE LATEST FOR ONE-INCH OR MORE
SNOW COVER AT GREAT FALLS SINCE 2004, AND 1999 AT HELENA.

########

DECEMBER...

UPPER LEVEL FLOW DURING DECEMBER WAS GENERALLY FROM THE WEST.
NORMALY FLOW FOR DECEMBER IS FROM THE WEST-NORTHWEST. TEMPERATURES
AVERAGED BELOW NORMAL EXCEPT IN THE SOUTHWEST, WITH VARIABLE
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS. THERE WERE LARGE AREAS WITH ABOVE NORMAL
PRECIPITATION, ALONG WITH POCKETS WITH BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
WIND SPEEDS AVERAGED ABOVE NORMAL.

THE MONTH STARTED VERY WARM, WITH RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES SET AT
SEVERAL LOCATIONS. HELENA REACHED 70F ON THE 1ST, THEIR HIGHEST OF
RECORD FOR DECEMBER AND LATEST 70F OF RECORD. STRONG WINDS
ACCOMPANIED THE WARM TEMPERATURES. GUSTS IN THE 70-MPH RANGE SET
DAILY RECORDS AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. DRY CONDITIONS WITH WINDS
ALLOWED FIRES THAT STARTED IN THE BROWNING, DENTON AND GREAT FALLS
AREA TO SPREAD RAPIDLY, CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE IN THE DENTON AND GREAT
FALLS AREAS. A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 74F WAS RECORDED AT ARMELLS
CREEK. A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHED THROUGH THE AREA ON THE 2ND, WITH
SNOW FOLLOWING ON THE 4TH. SOME AREAS REACHED THEIR FIRST BELOW ZERO
TEMPERATURE OF THE SEASON ON THE 5TH. TEMPERATURES REBOUNDED WITH
STRONG WINDS ACCOMPANYING THE WARMUP. GUSTS REACHED THE 60-MPH RANGE
ON THE 8TH AND 12TH. ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW OCCURRED FROM THE 14TH-
17TH, WITH MUCH COLDER AIR FOLLOWING. TEMPERATURES AS COLD AS -20F
WERE SEEN AT SOME POINTS ON THE 17TH. MILDER -- AND WINDY --
CONDITIONS RETURNED FROM THE 18TH-23RD. ON THE 23RD, A STRONG COLD
FRONT BROUGHT CONVECTIVE SHOWERS TO THE AREA. WINDS AS STRONG AS 63-
MPH ACCOMPANIED THIS COLD FRONT WITH ASSOCIATED SHOWERS. MUCH COLDER
AIR SETTLED IN FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH, WITH NEARLY DAILY
SNOWFALL. CHINOOK RECORDED THE COLDEST TEMEPERATURE OF THE MONTH ON
THE 28TH, REACHING -38F.

FOR PRECIPITATION, VARIABLE AMOUNTS WERE OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE
AREA. THE CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL HAD LARGE AREAS WITH ABOVE
NORMAL PRECIPITATION, WHILE THE SOUTHWEST WAS MAINLY BELOW NORMAL.
THE HIGHEST AMOUNT REPORTED WAS 9.50-INCHES AT MOUNT LOCKHART SNOTEL
(TETON), WITH 8.06-INCHES REPORTED AT GOAT HAUNT (GLACIER). WEST
YELLOWSTONE, RECEIVING 4.13-INCHES, HAD THEIR WETTEST DECEMBER SINCE
2012. WITH AN AREA AVERAGE OF 1.01-INCHES.


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