Data show minor to extreme drought across most of the state, with some of the driest conditions concentrated in western Montana.
It’s a different story in southcentral and southeastern Montana, where Billings National Weather Service meteorologist Shawn Palmquist said it’s wetter than usual.
“Overall I think it definitely helped recharge a lot of the soil across the region,” he said.
Recent maps show drought throughout most of the state, with extreme drought conditions in Deer Lodge, Missoula, Ravalli, Lewis and Clark and Mineral counties, stretching to the Idaho border.
Meanwhile, southcentral and southeastern Montana has so far postponed its drought and fire risk.
Palmquist said an active thunderstorm pattern and a wet spring puts this season on track to be one of the top 25 wettest on record for communities in southcentral Montana like Billings.
He said with that uptick in water comes an increased risk of flash flooding.
“Day after day thunderstorms can kind of numb peoples’ senses a little bit, but yeah, don’t get complacent,” said Palmquist.
Flash flooding risk is elevated along recently burned landscapes, where burn scars prevent the earth from holding water.
Palmquist said people should keep their eye out for debris if they do live downstream of a burn scar and avoid driving through flooded areas.
