January was mild across Powder River County, with warm temps and light precipitation contributing forming mild conditions throughout the month.

In Broadus, the temperature climbed as high as 52 and only fell to 6 degrees during the month, which contributed to an average monthly temperature of 6.7 degrees above average. Precipitation was light, with 0.39” on the month, compared to a normal of 0.45”. The bulk of this precip came in the form of snow, on January 8th, for 0.24” of the total. Around 2-3” of wet snow fell on that day, depending on location and elevation.

The Biddle 8 miles SW station was offline for most of the month.

The Moorhead 9 miles NE station had 2” of snow on the 8th, for a total of 0.35” on the month, which compares to an average of 0.35”.

The thermometer topped out at 53 on the 29th, and dropped as low as 3 on the 24th and 27th.

At the Sonnette 7 miles SW station, 3” of snow was recorded on the 8th. Their 0.60” of precip on the month, supplemented by light snows later in the month, compared to 0.40” on average in January.

The mercury dipped down to 2 at the Sonnette station on Jan 24, and climbed as high as 52, on the 13th.

The Volborg station recorded 0.28” of precip on the 8th, and another 0.18” on the 18th.

The Powderville 8 miles NNE station had 3” of snow on the 8th, with a total of 0.35” of precip on the month, compared to 0.41” on average. The mercury bottomed out at 3, on the 24th, and topped out a 50, on the 4th.

With a mild January behind us, we hope that the meager haystacks around our area last through calving season and into spring. February is “normally” a fairly mild month when it comes to precipitation, though the terribly snowy February of 2018 and 2019 bucked that trend significantly. The colder temperature recorded in February at Broadus was -40, in 1971. We hope that particular record stays in 1971.