Climatological Report (Annual)
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
000 CXUS55 KTFX 040716 CLAGTF MTZ008>015-044>055-101800- AREA ANNUAL CLIMATE SUMMARY...COR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1210 AM MST TUE JAN 4 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 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... ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES DOMINATED NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA, WHILE TEMPERATURES AVERAGED BELOW NORMAL OVER THE SOUTHWEST. A BROAD RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WAS OVER WESTERN NORTH AMERICA, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR FEBRUARY. PRECIPITATION WAS BELOW NORMAL MOST AREAS WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES, AND ABOVE NORMAL OVER PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST. BOZEMAN MSU HAD THEIR SNOWIEST FEBRUARY OF RECORD, EXCEEDING LAST YEARS TOTAL BY ONE-HALF INCH. WINDS AVERAGED ABOVE NORMAL MOST AREAS. AFTER A WARM START, WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA, TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO NEAR AND BELOW ZERO BY THE 3RD. THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE IN THE STATE OCCURRED ON THE 4TH, WHEN WEST YELLOWSTONE DROPPED TO -33F. WARMER CONDITIONS RETURNED, WITH SOME SNOW FROM THE 4TH THROUGH 12TH. COLDER AIR AGAIN MOVED IN FROM THE 17TH THROUGH 20TH, WITH A -31F VALUE RECORDED AT WEST YELLOWSTONE ON THE 20TH. AFTER A BRIEF WARMING, SNOW FELL MOST AREAS ON THE 24TH. THE MONTH ROUNDED OUT WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 50S OVER NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA ON THE 28TH. WIND SPEEDS AVERAGED ABOVE NORMAL. CUT BANKS AVERAGE OF 17.0 MPH WAS THEIR WINDIEST SINCE 2002. HELENA HAD THEIR WINDIEST FEBRUARY SINCE 1999. THE HIGHEST WIND GUST WAS 106 MPH AT DEEP CREEK RAWS. THIS WAS THE STRONGEST GUST IN MONTANA SINCE A THUNDERSTORM GUST OF 115 MPH IN JUNE 2017 AND AN ALL-TIME FEBRUARY AT DEEP CREEK. THE PEAK GUST OF 82 MPH AT GREAT FALLS ON THE 1ST WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST FEBRUARY GUST OF RECORD. IT TIED AS THE SEVENTH HIGHEST GUST OF RECORD AT GREAT FALLS AND WAS THE HIGHEST GUST SINCE A THUNDERSTORM GUST OF 83 MPH ON AUGUST 8 2003. ######## 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 ALREADY 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.