We Weather the Weather

Springtime in Montana didn't last long.

Several weeks ago weather in Central Montana was in the 80s.  It was nice enough to attempt a prairie dog hunt (here).

Shooting prairie dogs on 21 April.  Temperatures were into the 80s.  

Things changed a few days ago.

Temperatures were not too bad, staying in the 30s in the day and the teens at night, but the snow, which exceeded many records, drifted above the records.

Some of the records broken:

• Great Falls tied the record of 35.4 inches of snow in April set in 1967
• Great Falls set a new record for daily precipitation with .87 inches, more than double the old record of .43 set in 1913.
• Choteau received 7 inches breaking the old two-day record of 7 inches
• Rogers Pass received 26.4 inches, exceeded the old two-day record of 19 inches
• Here in Augusta we doubled the 1914 record one-day snow fall of 4 inches

Source: Great Falls Tribune, Blizzard sets three-day record

Many roads were closed for a couple days.  My wife spent the last three days stranded in Choteau (and work).  Rotary snow plows had to be brought from other parts of the state to open the roads.

Along the Front Range, snow amounts aren't the problem.  Drifts are.  Drifts caused me to be a "weather bachelor" for several days.

House of a weather bachelor mid-blizzard.

There is a lesson here for prospective Montana Elk Hunters:  Like much of the world the weather changes regularly.  We don't have any hurricanes and few tornados, but Montana Elk Hunters need to be Boy Scouts--BE PREPARED for life-threatening conditions.

Spring should be here today!