Last week’s atmospheric river dropped over 12 inches of rain across northwest Montana, melting snow and triggering flooding across the region. December rains are more likely as a result of human-caused climate change, says State Climatologist Kelsey Jencso.
"This is what the future projections and climate modeling portend in terms of changes in our precipitation patterns as well as our temperature patterns."
Jencso says Montanans can expect to see more precipitation as a whole, but more of it coming in these bigger rainfall or snow events. These atmospheric rivers are not a new phenomenon, but they are projected to become much more common as greenhouse gas emissions continue to warm the planet.
"When we think about that increase in precipitation, there's nothing average about it. These events that are occurring are becoming more extreme in nature. These atmospheric rivers are a great example of that."
But Jencso explains this recent rainfall will help the drought-stricken region.
"Some of this precipitation is recharging our soils, our groundwater systems — which here in western Montana, we’ve desperately needed that. Our last three snowpack years have been pretty dismal."
There is more extreme weather hitting this week, including high winds across the state today, and additional precipitation in the forecast.
