drought

Snowpack in the West typically reaches its peak in early April but that hasn’t happened this year. Drought persists, setting up conditions for wildfires and low water supply. This warm, snowless winter points to a warming climate and trouble for Montana farmers.

This past winter was defined by historic warmth in the Rockies. Long-term spring forecasts look similar – warmer and drier than normal.

Western Montana’s drought conditions have improved significantly since late summer. North-central Montana’s drought status is changing too, but for the worse.

Drought experts say unpredictable precipitation patterns are making drought forecasts more difficult.

Many of Montana’s wheat producers have struggled with drought for five straight years. Now they’re facing economic headwinds because of President Trump’s tariffs.

This summer’s weather has been a far cry from the scorching heat, bone-dry conditions and smokey air Montanans have come to expect this time of year. Meteorologists say more of this cooler, wetter weather is likely this month.

A new report suggests Montana’s drought could deepen significantly this summer. Already, 60 percent of Montana is in moderate to extreme drought. Another 15 percent is abnormally dry. State officials have agreed to release water from Silver Lake to improve flows to the Clark Fork

Gov. Greg Gianforte on Monday received his first wildfire season briefing of the year. The outlook is a mixed bag. Most of Montana’s land and fire management agencies say they’re prepared for fire season. The weather forecast, however, is grim.

Montana’s snowpack is mostly normal following soggy weather conditions last month, but more snow is needed in the mountains.

A recent report from the American Farm Bureau Federation showed that Montana lost millions of dollars worth of crops due to extreme weather; A federal judge in Montana this week extended a pause in an ongoing lawsuit over the state’s attempt to ban TikTok.