Montana Acriculturai. Statistics 1991 General 7 



MONTANA CROP, LIVESTOCK, AND WEATHER DIGEST, 1990 



JANUARY: The month was very warm and mostly dry. Grazing was open in about half the 

 state. Winter wheat was in fair to good condition with ample snow cover protection in most 

 areas. Wind damage was light. 



FEBRUARY: Warm and dry conditions continued except for a cold snap at mid-month. Winter 

 wheat condition declined slightly due to strong winds and melted snow cover. Wind damage 

 was mostly light to moderate. Grazing remained open. 



MARCH: Another warm month with normal precipitation. Winter wheat started to green 

 during the month and was mostly in good to excellent condition. Calving and lambing 

 weather was good for most of the month. 



APRIL: Critically dry conditions developed in the eastern part of the state, and rainfall was 

 also below normal in many other areas. Except for the east, soil moisture was mostly 

 adequate. Planting made good progress. 



MAY: Planting small grains was virtually completed. Soil moisture was mostly adequate 

 except in the eastern sections. Crop condition was rated good to excellent. 



JUNE: Serious drought develops in Northeast Montana. Crop growth progress was about 

 average. Abnormal heat the last of the month depleted soil moisture in much of the state. 



JULY: A hot and dry month. Crops were maintained largely by scattered showers. Good 

 rains fell over the North Central area the last week. In over two-thirds of the state, soil 

 moisture was rated short for most of the month. 



AUGUST: Small grains harvest was ahead of normal. Yields in the northeast were sharply 

 lower than other areas. Rains at month's end caused some sprouting of malting barley. 



SEPTEMBER: Small grains harvest completed. Winter wheat seeded in dry soils. In the drier 

 areas, emergence was adversely affected and seeding was halted. The month was generally 

 warm and dry. 



OCTOBER: Harvesting of all crops virtually completed. Soils remained dry. Winter wheat 

 condition rated mostly poor to fair. Stands were uneven in the driest areas, especially 

 southern slopes. 



NOVEMBER: Soils abnormally dry. Winter wheat mostly poor to fair. Grazing conditions 

 were good, but supplemental feed was required in the drier areas. 



DECEMBER: Extreme cold during the last half of the month. Winter wheat had little or no 

 snow cover protection at the start of the cold. Grazing ended raising feed requirements. 



