Though Powder River County received multiple snowstorms in April, the temps and precipitation totals were around normal for the month.

In Broadus, the average monthly high of 60.7 degrees matched the “normal” high temp, with highs topping out at 81 degrees on the 19th and 21st. The average low of 35.1 was actually above the average monthly low of 31.7 – though the month as a whole seemed to be fairly chilly, perhaps due to fairly regular cloud cover and wind causing the temps to seem chillier than the air temperature would indicate. The lowest temp of the month was 20, on April 13th.

Precipitation totals for the month in Broadus were 1.48”, normal precip for April is 1.64”. Total precip for the year (as of April 30) is 4.36”.

The Sonnette 7 miles Southwest Station recorded new snow on five separate days in April. .4” fell on April 1st, 5.2” on April 10th, .4” on April 28th, .2” on the 29th, and 2.1” on April 30th, totaling 8.3” of snow for the month.

The Sonnette station averaged a 56.6 degree high for the month, normal is 54.9, while the average low of 30.1 was just above the average at 27.9. On April 19th, the temp reached 78 degrees, while on the 13th the low was a chilly 17. 1.72” of precip was recorded, the normal being 1.69”.

The Biddle 8 miles Southwest station recorded snow on multiple days in April, with trace amounts throughout the month, and measurable amount of 5.0” on April 10th, and 3.0” on April 30th.

The average high was 56.5 degrees, falling short of the normal 59.2 degrees. Average low for April was 33.9, normal being 32.2. Temps fell to 20 on April 11th, and climbed as high as 77 on April 19th.

The Biddle station reported 1.04” of precip for the month, falling behind the average of 1.70”.

At the Moorhead 9 miles Northeast station, trace amounts of snow were recorded throughout the month, with measurable snowfall recorded on the 10th, and 30th, with 5.0” and 2.0”, respectively.

Average high for the month was 57.2 degrees, falling short of the 60.8 degree average. The average low was 33.1, above the 31.9 degree average. 1.21” of precip fell for the month compared to 1.39” of normal precip, with the highest temp of 79 recorded on the 19th, and the mercury falling to 19 on the 13th.

The Powderville 8 miles North-North East station recorded snowfall amounts of 1.2” on April 1st, 1.4” on the 10th, and trace amounts on the 29th and 30th. 1.14” of precip fell on the station for the month, compared to 1.48” normally.

The high of 59.4 fell just below the normal high of 60.1, while the average low of 35.7 was rather balmy compared to the 31.6 normal low. Temps topped out at 80 on the 19th, and fell to 21 on the 13th.

We begin the month of May with light snowstorms on the 1st and 6th, (while heavier amounts of around 4” were recorded on the 6th in the high country along the Hammond-Belle Creek divide).

Spring may be slow in coming, but before long the temps will be edging towards the triple digits, the mosquitos trying to extract our blood, and the pollen filling our lungs. Appreciate the temperate weather while it’s here.