Thirsty, sizzling August tops the charts

Northwest Montana had one of its driest and hottest Augusts on record.

The lack of rain in Kalispell last month made it the seventh driest August on record since the National Weather Service started keeping track in 1948.

“Getting only 0.16 inch of rain throughout the month is pretty significant. It’s well below normal,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Noble.

There were six days of rain throughout August in the Kalispell area, but each was less than one tenth of an inch — an amount that Noble described as “small fries.” The average precipitation for Kalispell in August is 1.17 inches

When you add July precipitation to the equation, the combined amount adds up to only 0.23 inch — the third driest July-August on record.

In addition to parched conditions, steady heat waves permeated the region during the past month. According to the National Weather Service, the Kalispell area had its 16th warmest August since 1948. Sensors at Glacier Park International Airport recorded 24 days over 80 degrees, and temperatures crept to more than 90 degrees for three days in August.

No high temperature records were set, however a record low temperature was set at Kalispell on Aug. 15. The record low dipped to 36 degrees.

The consistent hot, dry daytime temperatures throughout July and August have contributed to severe drought conditions in Lincoln, Sanders and western Flathead County. Gov. Steve Bullock released multiple drought disaster declarations throughout the summer that included parts of Northwest Montana.

The drought conditions have escalated throughout the West, fueling wildfires and prompting public health warnings because of decreases in air quality.

There are 53 large fires currently burning in the Northern Rockies, totaling 662,000 acres. Nationally, 137 large fires are impacting nearly 8 million acres.

The National Drought Mitigation Center recently announced the expansion of severe and extreme drought conditions in Central Montana and the introduction of moderate drought in Eastern Washington and Western Washington and Oregon.

Conditions have also deteriorated in southern Idaho and the Upper Colorado River Basin as rainfall deficits grew and stream flow fell below normal. Southern Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Western Colorado saw expansions in abnormally dry conditions while eastern Utah and Northwest Colorado also saw an expansion of severe drought, according to Deborah Bathke with the National Drought Mitigation Center.

Local meteorologists are detecting some changes in weather patterns next week, but aren’t expecting a significant amount of rainfall to ease the current conditions at least until the end of next week.

“We are moderately confident temperatures could be closer to or below normal, and precipitation wise there is a chance for showers and thunderstorms,” Noble said. “But we are also going to see an increase in winds and there is the possibility of new fires starting from lightning and thunderstorms.”

A series of cooler weather systems starting at the end of next week are predicted to bring better chances of rain and even high mountain snow, according to the Weather Service. These systems, along with the change of seasons, may provide Northwest Montanans with some relief.

“The daily average temperatures are starting to fall,” Noble said. “Also the nights are getting longer and nighttime temperatures will become more cool and more stable. Things should start getting progressively more cool.”