Drought conditions are getting worse across much of Montana and it’s going to take above-normal springtime snow and rain to break out of the spiral.
That’s what experts told members of the governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee Thursday during their first meeting of the year.
Pockets of extreme drought have gripped the Lincoln area and the Blackfoot watershed.
Severe and moderate drought is reported across most of western, southern and northeast Montana. Abnormally dry conditions dominate almost all the state.
There are two noteworthy exceptions: areas of Glacier and Musselshell counties report no drought.
Experts are taking a wait-and-see stance before making any drought predictions this summer.
-
Many U.S. Department of Agriculture services are frozen as a result of the government shutdown. The freeze could have significant impacts for Montana’s farmers.
-
Glacier and Yellowstone national parks will remain open during the government shutdown, according to a federal memo. A major drop in staffing will impact park services and gateway communities.
-
Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.
-
Many of Montana’s wheat producers have struggled with drought for five straight years. Now they’re facing economic headwinds because of President Trump’s tariffs.
-
The Trump administration is ending an annual nationwide hunger survey. Montana’s statewide foodbank says it’s a deeply concerning development that will make it harder to assess needs and gauge the effectiveness of food aid programs.
-
Scientists created the eggs using DNA from adult skin cells, a step that could someday potentially lead to new ways to treat infertility and enable gay couples to have genetically related children.