Rain and snow take aim at the Montana drought

The weather this summer has been downright unruly, but it's ready to make amends.

After months of extreme drought and fire, the state is getting some much-needed rain and snow.

"We ended up receiving a second round of precipitation, mainly in southwest and central Montana," Jim Brusda, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said. "It's pretty welcome because of how dry it has been."

Lewistown is reaping the most benefits from the weather system with .32 inches by Friday afternoon. The east side of the Big Snowies has already received nine inches of snow.

The rainfall wasn't too excessive in Great Falls, where only .18 inches fell, while, approximately .14 inches fell in Helena by Friday afternoon. Other places were worse off, with just a trace, .01 inches, in Cut Bank and nothing in Havre.

But every drop of rain is going to good use. Brusda said the soil is absorbing all of the precipitation.

"Especially in northcentral Montana and Great Falls, it's all going right into the ground, which is what we need," Brusda said. "But we're going to need a lot more of it to make a dent in the drought."

Temperatures will settle in the mid-60s throughout the week and cool to the upper 30s and low 40s at night.

Travelers driving through mountain passes at night should take extra caution. Snowfall and temperatures at or below freezing will make roadways icy.

Brusda also recommends covering any flowers or vegetables at night.

Showers are expected to linger into Saturday morning before clearing off for a partly cloudy start to the weekend. On Sunday, Brusda said Great Falls will experience the beginning of a quintessentially fall week.

"There's a small chance of showers on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, but they will be isolated and light," Brusda said. "We will also have light winds. It's going to feel just like fall."

Summer seems to have finally relinquished its grip on the area. No significant increases in temperature are expected anytime soon, Brusda continued.