Powder River Examiner -

Precipitation totals for 2020 continue to lag far behind normal. The total amount of moisture received in Broadus for the first 11 months of the year fell behind the previous driest year, 1988, with 7.29” of moisture Jan 1 through Nov 30 in 2020, compared to 7.30” through those dates in 1988.

In November, Broadus received a trace of moisture, which is defined as amount of precipitation greater than zero but too small to be measured by standard units of measurement. Gauges measure to hundredths of an inch, so somewhere between zero and .01” of moisture fell in Broadus in November. The normal for the month is 0.53”. Trace amounts of moisture were also recorded in November in 1952, 2002, and 2009. The highest amount of moisture recorded in November in Broadus was in 1978, with 2.01”.

Temperatures in November were very mild, with the mercury never dipping below 10 degrees in Broadus. The maximum temperature in November fell on November 3rd at 78, which was also a record high for that date, beating the previous high of 77, in 2008.

The average temp for the month was 37.9, or 4.4 degrees above average.

Looking around the area, the Biddle 8 miles SW station received a trace amount of moisture in November, compared to a normal of 0.49”. The high for the month was 78 on Nov 3, and the low was 10, on November 12th.

The Mooheard 9 miles NE station received 0.10” of moisture on the month, with all measurable precip falling on November 8th. This compares to a normal of 0.39” in November. The high for the month was 75 on the 3rd, the low was 10, on the 23rd.

The Sonnette 7 miles SW station recorded 0.02” of moisture in November, falling in the form of snow on November 8th. This compares to a normal monthly precip of 0.52”. This station also topped out at 75 on November 3rd, and bottomed out at 5, on November 29th. Five days in November had single digit lows at the Sonnette station.

The Volborg station, which only records moisture, had a total of 0.00” in November.

The Powderville 8 miles NNE station was the winner for precip in November, with 0.21” falling on the 8th, which was gleaned from 1.5” of snow which fell that day. 0.23” of moisture was collected over the month, compared to an average of 0.48”. The high for the month of 77 was recorded on the 3rd, with a low of 9 recorded on the 11th.

As December rolls along, we find ourselves in another warm and dry weather pattern, with conditions expected to remain that way for some time. Few complaints are being heard about the temperature – for comparison, the record low on December 8th in Broadus was -34, in 1972. The record low for the month of December came on December 22nd, 1989, with a bone chilling -47.