Powder River Examiner -

Following a cool spring, May arrived with warm weather and moisture, ushering in a good start to summer.

Area temperatures hovered nearly 6 degrees above average for the month of May in Broadus, prompting plant growth that had been a bit subdued by the below average temps in March and April.

In Broadus, the last day of freezing temps in May was on May 1st, with a 26 degree temperature recorded at the courthouse. On May 19th the temperature came close to freezing, at 34 degrees.

The highest temps of the month of 89 degrees were recorded May 22nd and 23rd.

To go along with the warm temps throughout the month, regular rain showers soaked much of the region. Gulf flow moisture ushered up from the south several times in May, which provided substantial but often spotty showers. For example, Broadus received storms where just a few miles either direction not a drop of rain fell.

Other examples of the spotty rainfall patterns include a storm which tracked north along the Belle Creek/Hammond divide and to points north, with one report of 3.75” of rain received in a span of 45 minutes. That storm was one of several storms that tracked north through that high country along the eastern edge of the county over several days, with pea sized hail reported along with water in basements and an immense amount of runoff.

Meanwhile, other portions of the area received far less precipitation – the Volborg station received 1.82” of moisture over the entire month, while the Moorhead 9 miles NE station had 2.20” in May. Broadus received 3.12”. Spotty showers indeed.

Looking around the area, the Biddle 8 miles SW station had 3.17” of precip in May, slightly above the long term average of 3.02”. The thermometer topped out at 88 there on the 21st, and went as low as 31 on May 1st, the last date in May that had a freezing temp.

The Moorhead 9 miles NE station’s 2.20” of monthly precip was below the long term average of 2.59”, while the thermometer topped out at 89 on the 22nd, and went down to 27 on May 1st. A 30 degree temperature on May 2nd marked the last freeze at the station.

The Sonnette 7 miles SW station had 3.13” of rain in May, compared to an average of 2.95”. The high for the month was 86 on May 22nd, while the low was 31, on May 19th, marking the last freeze of May.

At Fort Howes, 2.42” of precip fell in May. The high there was 88 on the 22nd, and the low was 32, on the 1st. The wind gusted to 46 mph on the 23rd, averaging 5.8 mph over the entire month.

The Powderville 8 miles NNE station had 2.82” of rain in May, right in line with the 2.84” average. They topped out at 89 on the 22nd and 24th, and didn’t see a freezing temp in May, with the mercury bottoming out at 33, on May 19th.

Showers originally forecast to bring widespread moisture to the area on and around June 1st failed to materialize, sticking to the west and north, bringing over 4-5” of precipitation in areas around Billings and at Jordan, while much of our area received zero.