Storm brings moisture back to the Hi-Line

What had been a tinder-dry weather year turned around last week as a blizzard that knocked out power across the Hi-Line and Golden Triangle, closing schools and shutting down businesses, also dropped much-needed moisture on the fields, streams and reservoirs.

The National Weather Service — which had records disrupted when power went out from at least Chester west to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and northern Blaine County and south to Big Sandy — now has reported that 11.9 inches of snow fell at its reporting station at the airport west of Havre.

The record for the amount of precipitation and snow still stands — 2 inches of snow in 1987 and. 2 inches of moisture in 1919 — as the data for how much snow actually fell and how much moisture that translated to is still missing due to the power outage.

But the statistics show the change.

On March 18, the day before the storm hit, Weather Service reports the Havre station had received a trace of snow and. 04 inches of precipitation.

On March 21, the station showed 11.9 inches of snow for the month and 1.8 inches of precipitation. That put the city to 2.35 inches of precipitation for the calendar year, and 3.15 inches of precipitation for the water year that starts Oct. 1.

Storms over the weekend dropped more precipitation, although the station still reports 11.9 inches of snow. The precipitation totals were up this morning to 1.9 inches of moisture for the month, with 2.45 inches for the calendar year and 3.25 inches for the water year.

That turns around a serious water deficit for the month, year and water year.

March 18, Havre reported a shortage from the average value of precipitation for that date as. 23 inches for the month,. 29 inches for the calendar year and. 9 inches for the water year.

By last Wednesday, the moisture situation had reversed, with Havre reporting a surplus of 1.47 inches for the month,. 94 inches for the calendar year and. 8 inches for the water year.

This morning, the records show a surplus of moisture of 1.49 inches for the month, 1.43 inches for the calendar year and. 82 inches for the water year.

That mirrors a lengthier trend for snowpack in the mountains.

In January, the snowpack was reported, on average, as at 80 percent of normal for the year, with the headwaters of the Missouri River at 69 percent of normal.

Statewide, the average for all watersheds in Montana is 101 percent of average this morning.

More precipitation is in the forecast by the weather service for the next week, with a chance of rain and snow this afternoon, then a chance of more showers Wednesday and Friday and through the weekend. The highs are expected to be in the 50s through the week, with lows in the 30s.