PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT 832 PM MST THU DEC 27 2012 ...2012 WEATHER IN REVIEW... 2012 WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS A VERY WARM AND DRY YEAR...WITH ESCALATING DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND A SIGNIFICANT AND LONG DURATION WILDFIRE SEASON. BILLINGS EXPERIENCED ITS WARMEST AND DRIEST YEAR ON RECORD...AND FOR MILES CITY IT WAS THE WARMEST AND 2ND DRIEST. ORIGINS OF THE WARM AND DRY YEAR CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE 2011- 2012 WINTER...DURING WHICH SNOWFALL WAS BELOW NORMAL ACROSS THE REGION. THIS LED TO AN EARLY MOUNTAIN SNOW MELT AND EXTREMELY POOR GREEN UP DURING THE SPRING...WHICH IN TURN HELPED TO BRING A HOT SPRING AND SUMMER...AND AN EARLY ONSET OF THE FIRE SEASON. HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS PERSISTED THROUGH SEPTEMBER. PRECIPITATION AND COOLER TEMPERATURES FINALLY ARRIVED IN EARLY OCTOBER...BUT THE DAMAGE WAS ALREADY DONE...AND PRECIPITATION DEFICITS REMAINED HIGH THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. DROUGHT WAS NOT EVIDENT EARLY IN 2012...BUT CONDITIONS WORSENED RAPIDLY DURING THE SPRING...AND BY SUMMER MUCH OF THE REGION WAS IN SEVERE TO EXTREME DROUGHT WITH BOTH HYDROLOGIC AND AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS. FALL PRECIPITATION REMAINED BELOW NORMAL AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSISTED THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR...THOUGH IMPACTS LESSENED WITH THE ONSET OF COOLER TEMPERATURES AND LATE FALL PRECIPITATION. THE 2012 WILDFIRE SEASON BEGAN IN JUNE AND PERSISTED INTO EARLY OCTOBER...WHEN A WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM FINALLY BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION. ACREAGE BURNED ACROSS MONTANA EXCEEDED ONE MILLION ACRES...MUCH OF WHICH OCCURRED IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA. HERE ARE SOME OF THE LARGER FIRES AND THEIR APPROXIMATE ACREAGE BURNED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2012: ASH CREEK COMPLEX 250,000 ROSEBUD COMPLEX 170,000 SARPY HILLS COMPLEX 80,000 DELPHIA FIRE 40,000 DUGAN FIRE 11,000 MILLIE FIRE 10,500 PINE CREEK FIRE 8,500 SEVERAL RECORDS WERE TIED OR BROKEN ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR...INCLUDING AN ALL-TIME RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 111 DEGREES AT MILES CITY ON JUNE 26TH. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF RECORDS TIED OR BROKEN AT BILLINGS...MILES CITY AND SHERIDAN DURING 2012. RECORDS GO BACK TO 1934 AT BILLINGS...1937 AT MILES CITY AND 1907 AT SHERIDAN. ...BILLINGS... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 56 ON JANUARY 4 64 ON JANUARY 5 70 ON MARCH 15 73 ON MARCH 17 80 ON MARCH 31 87 ON APRIL 23 86 ON APRIL 24 101 ON JUNE 25 103 ON JULY 3 99 ON AUGUST 28 97 ON AUGUST 29 RECORD LOW TEMPS: 31 ON MAY 25 31 ON MAY 26 47 ON AUGUST 16 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.15 INCHES ON DECEMBER 24 RECORD SNOWFALL: 3.1 INCHES ON JANUARY 16 9.6 INCHES ON JANUARY 18 2.2 INCHES ON MAY 25 1.3 INCHES ON MAY 26 2.3 INCHES ON OCTOBER 3 3.4 INCHES ON DECEMBER 24 ...MILES CITY... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 57 ON JANUARY 4 63 ON JANUARY 5 54 ON JANUARY 10 74 ON MARCH 9 71 ON MARCH 10 75 ON MARCH 13 74 ON MARCH 15 79 ON MARCH 16 71 ON MARCH 17 91 ON APRIL 23 90 ON APRIL 24 88 ON MAY 14 91 ON MAY 16 105 ON JUNE 25 111 ON JUNE 26 105 ON JULY 1 104 ON JULY 3 102 ON AUGUST 28 65 ON NOVEMBER 21 RECORD LOW TEMPS: 32 ON MAY 25 43 ON AUGUST 16 RECORD PRECIPITATION: NONE ...SHERIDAN... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 67 ON JANUARY 5 73 ON MARCH 17 76 ON MARCH 23 76 ON MARCH 26 80 ON MARCH 31 72 ON APRIL 1 85 ON APRIL 23 84 ON APRIL 24 100 ON JUNE 24 100 ON JUNE 25 103 ON JULY 1 102 ON AUGUST 29 92 ON SEPTEMBER 10 79 ON NOVEMBER 7 67 ON NOVEMBER 21 RECORD LOW TEMPS: NONE RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.46 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 22 0.82 INCHES ON APRIL 14 0.57 INCHES ON MAY 26 0.61 INCHES ON JULY 1 0.59 INCHES ON NOVEMBER 25 ONE OTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF THE 2012 SUMMER WAS THE LACK OF SEVERE WEATHER AND THUNDERSTORMS IN GENERAL...WHICH WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE POOR GREEN UP AND LACK OF SOIL MOISTURE. THE BILLINGS AIRPORT REPORTED A THUNDERSTORM ON ONLY 22 DAYS...WHICH IS THE LOWEST SINCE 1988. THE FOLLOWING IS A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF SIGNIFICANT OR NOTEWORTHY WEATHER EVENTS THAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE REGION IN 2012. JANUARY 5: VERY WARM DAY. BILLINGS HIGH OF 64...MILES CITY 63 AND SHERIDAN 67 WERE EACH DAILY RECORDS. FOR BILLINGS...IT WAS TIED FOR THE 5TH WARMEST JANUARY TEMP ON RECORD AND THE WARMEST SINCE 1992. JANUARY 10-11: A FAST-MOVING SYSTEM BROUGHT 8 TO 14 INCHES OF SNOW TO THE RED LODGE AREA...AND 5 TO 10 INCHES ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE PRYOR AND BIG HORN MOUNTAINS. JANUARY 18-19: THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SNOW EVENT OF THE 2011-2012 WINTER. THE GREATEST AMOUNTS OVER THE PLAINS...10 TO 20 INCHES... FELL IN AN AREA BETWEEN HARLOWTON...BILLINGS AND HARDIN TO FORSYTH...COLSTRIP AND BROADUS. HYSHAM RECEIVED 20 INCHES OF SNOW...WHILE BILLINGS TOTALED AROUND A FOOT. ALSO...THE WEST SLOPES OF THE BEARTOOTH ABSAROKAS RECEIVED 1 TO 3 FEET OF SNOW. JANUARY 18 WAS THE COLDEST DAY OF THE WINTER WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS BELOW ZERO ACROSS THE PLAINS. JANUARY 25: HIGH WIND EVENT ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED: LIVINGSTON 81 MPH...NYE 80 MPH...HARLOWTON 75 MPH...DAYTON 71 MPH AND BIG TIMBER 66 MPH. FEBRUARY 22: A VERY ACTIVE WEATHER DAY. STRONG WINDS IMPACTED OUR WESTERN PARTS AS AN UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND SHOWERS ALLOWED STRONG WIND GUSTS TO SURFACE. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED: 76 MPH SOUTH OF ROUNDUP...HARLOWTON AND COLUMBUS 72 MPH...BILLINGS 67 MPH AND JUDITH GAP 60 MPH. A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN OCCURRED AT MILES CITY AT 4 PM...WITH SEVERAL LIGHTNING STRIKES NOTED AROUND THE AREA. OVER AN INCH OF RAIN FELL OVER THE WOLF MOUNTAINS EAST OF CROW AGENCY. THIS RAINFALL CAUSED SOME LOW LAND FLOODING IN PARTS OF SOUTHERN ROSEBUD AND EASTERN BIG HORN COUNTIES. ALSO... HEAVY SNOW FELL OVER THE BEARTOOTH ABSAROKA AND BIG HORN MOUNTAINS...WITH 1 TO 2 FEET OF ACCUMULATION. HIGHWAY 14 CLOSED THROUGH THE BIG HORNS DUE TO HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS. MARCH 9-17: A PERIOD OF VERY WARM WEATHER. MILES CITY SET SIX DAILY TEMPERATURE RECORDS DURING THIS NINE DAY STRETCH...AND THEIR HIGH OF 79 ON THE 16TH WAS THE RECORD WARMEST SO EARLY IN THE SEASON. BILLINGS SET TWO DAILY TEMPERATURE RECORDS...AND EXCEEDED 70 DEGREES FOUR TIMES. MARCH 19: FAST-MOVING WEATHER SYSTEM BROUGHT UP TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW NEAR RED LODGE...4 TO 8 INCHES IN THE PARADISE VALLEY AND IN LIVINGSTON...AND 2 TO 5 INCHES IN THE BILLINGS AREA. MARCH 1-31: MARCH WAS THE WARMEST ON RECORD FOR BILLINGS...MILES CITY AND SHERIDAN. MILES CITY REACHED 70 DEGREES 12 TIMES... BILLINGS 8 TIMES AND SHERIDAN 9 TIMES. THE 80 DEGREE HIGHS AT BILLINGS AND SHERIDAN ON THE 31ST TIED THE RECORD FOR EARLIEST OCCURRENCE OF 80 DEGREES AT EACH SITE. APRIL 5-6: HEAVY WET SNOW FELL OVER WESTERN PARTS...WITH THE GREATEST AMOUNTS FROM SWEET GRASS AND STILLWATER TO WHEATLAND AND GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTIES. AMOUNTS INCLUDED: MYSTIC LAKE 22 INCHES... 13 INCHES NEAR RYEGATE AND MELVILLE...BIG TIMBER 10 INCHES... HARLOWTON AND RAPELJE 6 INCHES. APRIL 22-25: VERY WARM 4-DAY PERIOD...WITH MOST OF THE AREA OVER 80 DEGREES EACH OF THESE DAYS. MILES CITY REACHED 90 DEGREES ON THE 23RD AND 24TH. RECORD WARM MINIMUM TEMPS WERE SET AT BILLINGS AND MILES CITY. APRIL 26-28: WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION EVENT. GREATEST AMOUNTS WERE IN THE CRAZY MOUNTAINS WHERE OVER 5 INCHES OF RAIN AND 3 FEET OF SNOW FELL IN A 48 HOUR PERIOD. ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN WAS COMMON EAST OF BILLINGS. BILLINGS RECEIVED ONLY 0.20 TO 0.40 INCHES. MAY 13-18: HOT WEATHER...WITH HIGHS IN THE 80S TO LOW 90S ACROSS THE REGION. MAY 24-27: SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACROSS THE REGION. ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN WAS FAIRLY WIDESPREAD. HEAVY SNOW FELL OVER THE BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS AND THE BEARTOOTH HIGHWAY DID NOT OPEN FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. THE BEARTOOTH FOOTHILLS RECEIVED SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW. 3.5 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT THE BILLINGS AIRPORT ON THE NIGHT OF THE 25TH AND EARLY MORNING OF THE 26TH. THIS WAS THE LATEST MEASURABLE SNOW AT BILLINGS SINCE 1975. RECORD LOW AND COLD HIGH TEMPS WERE SET AT BILLINGS ON THE 25TH AND 26TH. JUNE 5: A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A 69 MPH WIND GUST AT LIVINGSTON. ALSO...MILES CITY HIGH TEMP OF 99 DEGREES AND BILLINGS 95 DEGREES WERE THE HOTTEST TO OCCUR SO EARLY IN THE SEASON SINCE 1988. JUNE 8: SOME SEVERE WEATHER. WIND GUSTS OF 60-70 MPH WERE ESTIMATED NEAR HYSHAM AND VANANDA. AN 89 MPH WIND GUST WAS RECORDED NEAR ROCK SPRINGS IN NORTHERN ROSEBUD COUNTY. SOME TREE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN THESE AREAS. JUNE 25: A COUPLE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN POWDER RIVER AND CUSTER COUNTIES PRODUCED HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. IT WAS A HOT DAY WITH 100 DEGREES REACHED MANY PLACES. JUNE 26: HISTORICALLY SEVERE FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS OCCURRED DUE TO VERY HOT...DRY AND WINDY WEATHER. TEMPERATURES IN THE 90S AND 100S COMBINED WITH SINGLE DIGIT HUMIDITY AND WIDESPREAD 30-50 MPH WIND GUSTS...STRONGER NEAR LIVINGSTON AND BIG TIMBER. MILES CITY REACHED THEIR ALL-TIME RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 111 DEGREES. OTHER HIGH TEMPS INCLUDED: BAKER 108...BROADUS 106...HARDIN 102...SHERIDAN 102 AND BILLINGS 100 DEGREES. HUMIDITY DROPPED TO AS LOW AS 4-5 PERCENT. LIVINGSTON HAD A PEAK GUST OF 71 MPH. SEVERAL WILDFIRES SPREAD RAPIDLY...INCLUDING THE DAHL FIRE NEAR ROUNDUP AND ASH CREEK NEAR ASHLAND. JULY 11: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED 60-70 MPH WIND GUSTS WHICH DOWNED A LARGE TREE AND CAUSED HOUSE AND VEHICLE DAMAGE NEAR FORT SMITH. JULY 24: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A 75 MPH WIND GUST AT BAKER. AUGUST 2: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL NEAR EPSIE AND BOYES. AUGUST 13: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED UP TO GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL NEAR BAKER...MILES CITY AND EKALAKA. AUGUST 28: MILES CITY REACHED 100 DEGREES FOR THE 18TH AND FINAL TIME. THIS INCLUDED A RECORD 13 TIMES DURING THE MONTH OF JULY. THE RECORD FOR AN ENTIRE SEASON IS 21 TIMES IN 1988. AUGUST 16 TO OCTOBER 2: NO MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED AT BILLINGS. THE STRETCH OF 48 DAYS WAS THE 3RD LONGEST ON RECORD. SHERIDAN DID NOT RECEIVE MEASURABLE RAIN FOR 53 DAYS...BEGINNING AUGUST 11...WHICH WAS THE LONGEST ON RECORD GOING BACK TO 1907. THE TRACE THAT FELL DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AT BILLINGS WAS A RECORD LOW. OCTOBER 3: A PRECIPITATION EVENT...FINALLY...BROUGHT RAIN AND SNOW TO THE REGION. BILLINGS RECEIVED 0.34 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION AND 2.3 INCHES OF SNOW. THE GREATEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WERE IN AN AREA FROM LIVINGSTON TO MCLEOD AND BIG TIMBER...WHERE 5 TO 8 INCHES FELL. NOVEMBER 8-10: WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL...HEAVIEST IN OUR WEST. 10 TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN AN AREA FROM LIVINGSTON AND WILSALL TO BIG TIMBER...MELVILLE AND HARLOWTON. A BAND OF 6 TO 10 INCHES FELL FROM STORY AND SHERIDAN TO LODGE GRASS...LAME DEER...COLSTRIP AND MILES CITY. RED LODGE RECEIVED 5 TO 7 INCHES. THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA RECEIVED 2 TO 5 INCHES. NOVEMBER 10-12: SINGLE DIGIT LOW TEMPERATURES WERE WIDESPREAD... AND LIVINGSTON...MILES CITY AND SHERIDAN EACH RECORDED THEIR FIRST BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON. FOOTHILLS LOCATIONS FROM LIVINGSTON TO BIG TIMBER AND HARLOWTON WERE IMPACTED BY BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ON THE 11TH AND 12TH AS STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS DEVELOPED. DECEMBER 2: STRONG WINDS OCCURRED ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS FROM LIVINGSTON...NYE AND RED LODGE TO SHERIDAN. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED: LIVINGSTON 77 MPH...NYE 76 MPH...EMIGRANT 67 MPH...SHERIDAN 68 MPH. SOME WIND DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN RED LODGE. DECEMBER 20: VERY STRONG GAP WINDS IMPACTED LIVINGSTON DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE PEAK GUST AT THE AIRPORT WAS 81 MPH. DECEMBER 24: A FEW INCHES OF SNOW FELL ACROSS THE REGION. BILLINGS SNOWFALL OF 3.4 INCHES WAS A RECORD FOR THE DAY...AND THE FIRST MEASURABLE SNOW ON CHRISTMAS EVE SINCE 1996.