Persistent Heat Wave Will Intensify Nation’s Worst Current Drought in Dakotas, Montana.
Known as a flash drought for its relatively rapid development, this northern Plains drought developed quickly by late May over a sizable swath of eastern Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Local ranchers and farmers told KRTV-TV this is the worst drought in northeast Montana since 1988.
"There are some areas of western North Dakota into Montana that haven’t had good rain going on three months, other than isolated spots," Daryl Ritchison, executive director of the North Dakota Agricultural Weather System, told the Williston Herald.
Some farmers in McIntosh County, North Dakota, resorted to "hauling water" and some pastures had "zero growth," according to the June 27 U.S. national drought summary.
Therefore, highs well into the 90s or low 100s are likely to persist in the northern High Plains drought area, as well as lower elevations of the northern Rockies and Great Basin, not to mention parts of the southern Canadian prairie.
(MAPS: 10-Day U.S. Forecast Highs/Lows) Billings, Montana, may see several triple-digit highs through at least next week, a threshold the city hasn’t crossed in almost three years.
Little Rain Relief, Either While the chance of rain isn’t zero in the drought-suffering northern High Plains, the kind of soaking, mid-summer thunderstorm complexes don’t appear to be in the cards, either, into at least early next week.
Isolated or scattered thunderstorms may ignite during the heat of the day in a few areas of the High Plains and, especially, over the mountains.
Given the parched soil, these hit-or-miss thunderstorms could ignite wildfires if accompanied by lightning, instead of soaking the ground.