Hot conditions prevailed across the region during the month of July, continuing the trend which has gripped the Northern Plains in heat and drought during 2021. The average daily high in Broadus for the month of July was an astounding 98.5 degrees, with 13 days of triple digit temperatures. The high for the month was 110, recorded July 27th, matching the all time daily high for Broadus, recorded just last month, on June 15th.
The average high of 98.5 for July broke the old record of 97.9, recorded in 2017. The normal high temp in July is 90.5, so July of 2021 was nearly 8 degrees hotter during the day compared to normal. Only two days in July the temperature failed to climb above 90, on July 6th and July 13th, topping out at 87 each day. Interestingly enough, nights were more seasonably average - the average low for July was 62.0, compared to a normal of 58.8. The low for the month fell on the nights of the 24th through the 26th, where 55 degree temps were recorded at the courthouse station. The night it cooled off the least was July 2nd, when the temperature only dropped to 71.
When looking at moisture totals in July, storms continued to track through Broadus, while often missing other parts of the county, as has been the trend all through the summer. While many portions of the area stray further behind average precipitation numbers, Broadus received 2.28” of precipitation in July, compared to a normal 1.72. This puts Broadus at 10.52” of accumulation in 2021 through July 31, slightly above the all time average of 10.34”.
The precipitation totals in Broadus stand in stark contrast to other stations in the area, nearly doubling up on the moisture received at some other locals stations.
The Biddle 8 miles SW station has recorded 5.37” of precip in 2021, compared to a normal of 10.64” through July. The Moorhead 9 miles NE station had 6.31” through July 31, compared to a normal of 8.99”. The Sonnette 7 miles SW station had 5.69” through the first seven months of the year, in contrast to a normal of 11.27”. The Volborg station does not have averages on file, though their precip total through July 31 was 5.35”, matching up well with the overall trend. The Powderville 8 miles NNE station had 6.26” of precip from January through July, with an average through that period of 10.56”.
When looking at each of the rural stations individually in July, the Powderville station topped out at 110 on July 27th, and received 0.87” of moisture in July, compared to an average of 1.72”.
The Volborg station, which only records precip, received 1.00” in July.
The Sonnette station topped out at 107 on the 27th, dropping to 46 on the 24th. That station received a paltry 0.28” of moisture, compared to an average of 1.67”.
The Moorhead station’s high temp for July was 107, on the 27th, with a low of a chilly 37 on July 13th. The station received 1.44” in July, topping the average of 1.41”, with the bulk of the moisture, 1.02”, falling on July 14th.
The Biddle station recorded a high of 110 on the 27th, and received 0.67” of moisture in July, compared to an average of 1.81”.
With the majority of the area falling further and further behind in moisture averages, combined with triple digit temperatures, drought continues to worsen. The US drought monitor shows all of Powder River County in at least a D2 or severe drought, with approximately the eastern third of the county, along with the northern tier of the county in D3 or extreme drought conditions. The majority of Montana is in a minimum of a severe drought.
Another weather factor locals have been dealing with in July is wildfire smoke. Earlier in the month, fires in California and Oregon provided much of the smoke in the atmosphere, while fires in Idaho, British Columbia, and Western Montana have provided red sunsets, hazy conditions, and puffy eyes more recently. For a period of time when the winds blew from the east, fires north of Winnipeg, Manitoba also contributed to unhealthy air quality in our area. A number of days in July showed “Unhealthy to Sensitive Groups” conditions at the Broadus Air Quality Monitor, with some days dipping into unhealthy for all groups. During those smoky days, visibility dropped to 2-5 miles, with Wolf Mountain being completely obscured when viewed from Broadus. The Montana DEQ’s guidelines stipulate that on days when the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, those with respiratory issues should remain indoors as much as possible, and limit vigorous outdoors activity. On days in the unhealthy for all range, everyone should remain indoors when possible and keep outdoor activity light to moderate.
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