snowpack

Montana’s latest snowpack report is out. There’s more moisture on the ground but it’s still below normal. Experts say there’s plenty of room for improvement and the clock is ticking.

Consistent and mostly above normal precipitation and snowpack means the statewide water supply outlook is either maintaining or improving across most of the state.

The Milk River basin’s snowpack in north-central Montana sits at 250% of normal. That’s a major shot in the arm for local farmers and ranchers who have endured years of devastating drought.

Above-normal precipitation last month boosted snowpack levels across most of the state. The current snowpack gives experts some early insight into what the spring snowmelt might look like.

Montana’s snowpack decreased statewide following January’s relatively dry conditions.

According to the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Bozeman, Montana’s snowpack conditions are ‘ideal’ following two months of near constant precipitation.

More water is expected to flow through Montana’s rivers than previously forecast. April’s precipitation provided a badly needed boost to the state’s snowpack.

For the third consecutive month, precipitation was well below normal across most of Montana. Mountain snowpack is subpar across most of the state and time is running out to make up the difference.

“All major river basins have a below-normal snowpack, except for the Lower Clark Fork, Kootenai and St. Mary’s River basins," says Eric Larson, a snow survey hydrologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Bozeman.

Mountain snowpack is starting to make significant gains in several of Montana’s otherwise parched river basins.