Storm breaks records

The steady rain that fell last week set some records in the state, including Chinook tying its record for the most rain received in August.

Light snow was reported in some mountain regions.

National Weather Service reports Chinook received 5.49 inches for August after the storm, tying its record set in 1974.

Central Montana, which experienced flooding — as did Harlem — was hit hard by the rain, with Crystal Lake in Fergus County setting a new state record for rain in August, 10.7 inches.

In Blaine County, Harlem received 6.98 inches in three days — not enough for a record, however.

Little Bullwhacker Creek received 5.23 inches, while the Hogeland and Turner areas recorded rain between 2.09 inches and 2.97 inches.

In Hill County, the three-day precipitation ranged from 2.05 inches southwest of Rudyard and 2.89 inches east of Kremlin to 3.12 inches south of Havre at Fort Assinniboine and 4.7 inches on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, with 3.49 inches recorded at the reservation agency.

Near Big Sandy in Chouteau County, 2.5 inches to 2.87 inches were reported over three days, while near Chester in Liberty County 2.11 inches were recorded.

But the main record-breakers were in central Montana. Along with the 10.7 inches for August at Crystal Lake, Stanford set a new record for precipitation in 24 hours with 3.63 inches, breaking its previous record 3.1 inches set June 19, 1979, and Hobson set a new 24-hour record with 3.7 inches, breaking its previous record of 3.6 inches set May 29, 2007.

Area forecasts call for highs in the 70s and 80s with partly cloudy to sunny skies through the week, with no rain in the Weather Service forecasts.