Climate of 2005 - February
Montana Drought

An analysis by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (Tom Pagano) identified several snow course and SNOTEL high altitude stations that had March 1 snow water equivalent observations that tied or beat previous 60-year dry records:

Porcupine, MT        (2005: 2.9", prev record: 2.9", prev record year: 1944,
                      total # yrs: 67)
New World, MT        (6.7", 6.8", 1941, 63)
Goat Mountain, MT    (1.6", 2.5", 1941, 71)
Pipestone Pass, MT   (0.8", 1.0", 1981, 67)
Marias Pass, MT      (3.6", 4.3", 1977, 71)
Emery Creek, MT      (5.8", 7.2", 1977, 61)
Pike Creek, MT       (9.8", 10.2",1977, 71)
Intergaard, MT       (1.6", 2.0", 2002, 69)
Elk Horn Springs, MT (2.3", 3.3", 1977, 70)
Nez Perce Pass, MT   (5.3", 7.1", 1995, 66)

Sites that were snow free for the first time in March and have been around for more than 15 years:

Rocky Boy, MT       (prev record: 0.1", prev record year: 1995,
                     total # yrs: 36)
Boxelder Creek, MT  (1.6", 1981, 32)
Copper Bottom, MT   (4.4", 1977, 44)
Roland Summit, MT   (2005: 0", prev record 10", 44 years)

An analysis of the state's reservoirs by the USDA NRCS (Tom Pagano) showed some reservoirs above the 1971-2000 average and some below average. The reservoirs in northwest Montana were above average due to capture of streamflow resulting from early melting of the meager snowpack.

The USDA NRCS (Roy Kaiser) noted that most river basins in western, southwestern, and central Montana had a Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) in the worst (extremely dry) category. The SWSI is an index that integrates snowpack, reservoir storage, streamflow, and precipitation at high elevation as a measure of surface water status. With reservoirs and streamflow low and snowpack and precipitation near record low levels, extreme negative (drought) SWSI values are expected.