Montana
Dry January Sinks Northwest Montana’s Snowpack Below Normal – Flathead Beacon
Following a snowy December that boosted northwest Montana’s snowpack to above-average, last month’s dry weather dropped the region’s river basins to low levels as winter continues.
Northwest Montana’s snow water equivalent levels (SWE) dipped to about 85% in the Flathead, Kootenai, and the Lower Clark Fork river basins as of Feb. 13 while the St. Mary and Sun-Teton-Marias basins on the east side of the Continental Divide hovered around 70%. The Noisy Basin SNOTEL site in the Swan Mountains, however, is above average at 110% of normal.
“Fortunately, it was a good start to the season, so northwest Montana was doing pretty good at first with 90 to 110% of normal,” said Eric Larson, a hydrologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Last month, winter storms continued to favor central Montana, resulting in the Smith-Judith-Musselshell reporting 130% of normal snowpack, while Bear Paw reported more than 200% of normal, according to the Feb. 1 Water Supply Outlook Report.
But Larson says that while the Bear Paw River Basin is currently twice the average snowpack, the area on the Hi-Line is unique because the region is typically dry and there is only one weather station, unlike other basins that have multiple data collecting sites at various elevations.
“One big month can double the snowpack and percentages can fluctuate,” Larson said.
On the Rocky Mountain Front, SWE levels were well below normal by February, with only 56% at the Sun-Teton-Marias basin and 3 to 7 inches below the average SWE levels. Hydrologists say that significant accumulation is needed in this region over the next few months for the snowpack to recover.
But Larson says there is still time for recovery since the snowpack usually doesn’t peak until late April or early May ahead of spring runoff.
While SWE levels in northwest Montana remain below-average, Larson says the snowpack is still doing better than last winter when areas like Many Glacier saw the lowest level in the last 49 years by February of 2024.
“Last year was such a low year across most of Montana,” Larson said. “Last year at this time, lots of stations had some of their lowest snowpack in [decades].”
In mid-February of 2024, SWE levels in the Flathead River Basin hovered around 70% while the southern Mission Mountains were at about 60%.
If dry conditions persist following last winter’s dismal precipitation, Larson says the soil will suck up more moisture than it normally would, leaving less water for runoff during the spring.
“When you have a really low snow year, there could be implications for the next year,” Larson said. “The soil could be stealing that water. Just given the low snow year that we had last year, we’d want to have a slightly above snow year,”
At the end of last year, northwest Montana moved from a “no drought” phase to “abnormally dry” while the central part of the state changed from abnormally dry to no drought conditions, although drought conditions continue to persist from last year.
According to the National Weather Service, a surge of moisture is predicted beginning Friday afternoon, with widespread snow expected to fall through Sunday in northwest Montana. The long range forecast predicts that the Flathead Valley will see below-average temperatures with normal precipitation.
[email protected]
Where Khloe Kardashian Stands With Ex French Montana More Than 10 Years After Breakup
French Montana is done keeping up with reality TV.
In fact, he only agreed to appear on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kourtney & Khloé Take the Hamptons over a decade ago as a favor to then-girlfriend Khloe Kardashian.
“She said to get on the show,” he exclusively told E! News at the BET Awards on June 28. “And I got on the show. Shout out to Khloe.”
The “Ever Since U Left Me” rapper, who split with Kardashian in December 2014 after eight months of dating, said the experience was “fun” because her family kept it real.
“They filmed their real life,” he continued. “And we were part of something together that one time. So it felt great. It didn’t feel like work because they film what they do everyday.”
As for his future in reality TV, the 41-year-old said those days are over, shutting down any prospective offers with a simple, “Negative.”
Although the “Unforgettable” artist—whose real name is Karim Kharbouch—may not be returning to television anytime soon, he has no problem hanging out with his ex-girlfriend these days.
French Montana, Rick Ross & Max B Turn the BET Awards Into “
06/28/2026
More
GREAT FALLS — For Staff Sgt. Brianna St. Lawrence-Brody, service does not only happen in uniform.
Outside the gates of the base, she works at Benefis as a nurse, Great Falls Public Schools as a school nurse, and comes home as a wife and mom of four. For the Montana Air National Guard, she serves as a command post controller with the 120th Airlift Wing in Great Falls.
(WATCH: Montana nurse and Guard member earns national Air Force recognition)
Montana nurse and Guard member earns national Air Force recognition
This year, St. Lawrence-Brody was named the U.S. Air National Guard’s Outstanding Airman of the Year in the Non-Commissioned Officer category.
She said the recognition came as a surprise, especially because her path into the Guard started later than others.
“I joined very late in life,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “I joined the Guard right before I turned 40. So for me, every opportunity that’s presented, I want to take the bull by the horns and just run with it and do the best of my ability.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined the Guard after finishing nursing school. She said she went straight from nursing school into helping open a COVID unit, while also working at Benefis.
She said that experience was the start of one journey, but not the whole of what she wanted to accomplish.
St. Lawrence-Brody joined the Guard for the opportunities, the challenge and to help build a future for her four children.
“It’s a little bit of a competition for myself,” she said. “Like, if I can do it, why not try my best to achieve it?”
120th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
As a command post controller, she assists in helping move information during emergencies and major events.
“Outside, obviously, I’m a nurse. Inside the Guard, I have nothing to do with the medical field, which is kind of amazing,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “It keeps me on my toes.”
She explained balancing the Guard, two civilian jobs and four children takes support from her family, her employers and her unit. She said Benefis and GFPS have been supportive of her military service.
Her nomination included her deployment experience, training work overseas and involvement across the wing. St. Lawrence-Brody said she deployed to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where she worked with an operations center supporting entities connected to Africa.
But, she says this recognition is not the finish line.
“This award, it’s not necessarily a landing pad for me,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “I want to use it as a springboard.”
120th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
St. Lawrence-Brody hopes her story encourages others to keep taking on new opportunities, even when they feel uncertain.
“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and be okay with doing things afraid,” she said. “I think when you get to be okay with doing things afraid, that’s where you’re going to find the growth.”
She has already won at the Air National Guard level, but she recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of the broader Air Force Outstanding Airman of the Year process, which includes nominees from the Guard, Reserve and major commands across the Air Force.
-
New York23 minutes agoRead the Indictment of Malik Beasley
-
Los Angeles, Ca28 minutes agoStolen Sea Scouts boat found in Marina del Rey, suspect arrested
-
Detroit, MI49 minutes agoMichigan House passes bill to restrict big investors from amassing single-family homes
-
San Francisco, CA58 minutes agoSan Francisco rolls out heightened security measures ahead of World Cup knockout match, 4th of July
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoKlyde Warren Park reveals expansion plans, construction timeline
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoPerson hospitalized after fire breaks out at North Miami Beach apartment building
-
Boston, MA1 hour agoScottish soccer fan who died in Boston was ‘Tartan Army to his core,’ fundraising page says – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoNuggets decline Jalen Pickett’s team option for 2026-27 season, sources say
