Parched month the driest May on record

Last month was Kalispell’s driest May on record, according to the National Weather Service in Missoula.

A mere .22 inches of rain fell during the month, just below the previous record of .23 inches set in 2001 and well below the monthly average of 1.98 inches.

The readings are taken at Glacier Park International Airport, where the agency keeps its sole official rain gauge for the valley.

May was the second straight dry month locally. In April, only .35 inches of precipitation fell, an amount that was .89 inches below the April average.

Since Jan. 1, the Flathead Valley has received 5.76 inches of precipitation, which is .85 inches below normal. A year ago, the total precipitation through May was 7.25 inches.

More rain was felt elsewhere in the region, although Missoula also had a relatively dry month with .76 inches in May, compared with a 2.01-inch average. Butte was .32 inches below its May average with 1.76 inches last month.