MONTANA – The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) released its drought outlook report for the summer of 2024.
NonStop Local spoke with the DNRC about what areas have been hit the hardest by this year’s drought and what can Montanans expect for the rest of the summer.
The DNRC says that the majority of the state will be entering its fifth straight year of abnormally dry conditions, with near record low snowpack causing lower stream flows and potentially lowering reservoir water levels as we get further into summer.
The lack of precipitation in the beginning of 2024 onset early drought conditions in many areas across Montana. The DNRC reports that rivers across western Montana are at the most risk during this drought season, as the small amount of snowpack caused near record low stream flows around western Montana, and they could get worse as summer continues.
“If we go and start flirting with that up in 100 degrees especially, we get some winds, and then, suddenly things dry out really quickly.” DNRC Drought Program Coordinator Michael Downey said. “And, then we’re going to see our stream flows really drop off.”
Even with the early onset of dry season, most reservoirs outside of northeast Montana have seen above average water storage and are in the best condition since 2019 because of high water carryover from 2023.
“That has to do with the, the great carryover that we had from last year,” Downey said. It also has to do with the fact that our dam tenders and dam managers across the state. They started filling early this year, and that’s really paying off.”
The agriculture industry also benefited from the wetter well, sustained through the beginning of the summer. But, the upcoming dry conditions and randomness of rainfall is expected to create mixed results for harvests.
“We’re seeing a really wide variability in our precipitation: both, you know, across the landscape and over time,” Downey said. “And, so, because of that, it’s not entirely new, but we have winners and losers.”
Despite the below average precipitation, the DNRC projects that wildfire potential is still normal across the state, but above average temperatures are expected to extend fire season later into the fall.
To read the DNRC’s full report, visit the link here.
