32 MONTANA FARM REVIEW 



SEASONAL WEATHER SUMMARY, APRIL 1 TO SEPTEMBER, INCL^ 1924. 

 (By W. T. Lathrop, Meteorologist, U. S. Weather Bureau.) 



Viewing it broadly the season was a dry one. For convenience in handling the 

 Montana weather data the regular and co-operative stations of the Weather Bureau are 

 ordinarily placed in three groups, designated respectively as West of the Divide; 

 Central Division, extending from the Continental Divide near to longitude 109°; and 

 Eastern Division, extending thence to the Dakotas, taking in, however, all of Carbon 

 County. In only one month during the season did any one of these divisions have 

 a general average of rainfall as great as the normal. This was in June, when the 

 eastern division averaged more than half an inch above normal. Yet the seasonal 

 precipitation for a large area in the northeast was above normal, and two small areas, 

 one in Glacier County, owing to heavy June and August rains, and one in northern 

 Carter County, owing to heavy June rains, likewise were above normal in their totals 

 for the season. 



The greatest amount recorded in the state, for the season, was at a station nine 

 miles north of Babb, Glacier County, 16.55 inches. The least was 1.91, at Brenner, 

 Beaverhead County. 



The geographical distribution of precipdtation for the season is too irregular to 

 depict verbally with any considerable degree of satisfaction. The totals were espe- 

 cially low west of the Divide, where the Bitter Root valley and the vicinity of Libby 

 received totals of less than 4.00 inches. Western Beaverhead County also had less 

 than 4.00 inches. The Yellowstone valley, between Big Timber and Miles City, varied 

 from a little more than 4.50 inches to about 7.00 inches. Portions of Hill, Liberty, 

 and Toole counties received less than 7.00 inches. The principal region over which 

 10.00 inches or more of precipitation was recorded extends from western Dawson 

 County northwestward into Canada, and westward over Garfield, northern Fergus, 

 Phillips, northern Blaine, and eastern Hill counties. Smaller areas with more than 

 10.00 inches are found in Glacier County, parts of Chouteau and Cascade, Wibaux, 

 and Carter counties, and small areas centering at Bozeman and Red Lodge. 



The state precipitation was below normal for April the first time in five years. 

 The May precipitation was the lightest ever recorded in May; in this month every 

 station in the state had less than normal rainfall. In June the excess in the east 

 end carried the state average above normal. Rains which became general about the 

 close of the first week of June ended drought in various sections. Heavy snow fell 

 in the northwest, Columbia Falls reporting 14 inches, and ice appeared in western 

 and central parts of the state. The benefits from the precipitation outweighed the 

 ill effects of low and freezing temperatures upon fruit, vegetables, and alfalfa, but 

 the losses sustained by some farmers were severe. July rains were the lightest 

 in five years for that month, and August in three, while lighter September precipita- 

 tion has been recorded only four times in thirty years. 



Temperatures generally were moderate and no new records were set, notwith- 

 standing the cold snap in June. It was, however, the coolest June since 1917. Only 

 one month. May, averaged higher than normal for the state. In April, June, and 

 August all divisions were below normal In May, July and September the eastern 

 division was below normal and the other two above. The highest temperature regis- 

 tered was 110° at Roy, Fergus County, on the 27th of August. 



