It Wasn't My Imagination.

Some interesting figures from a recent Billings Gazette article posted May 31st:

The rain total for the month in Billings was 9.54 inches — 7.06 inches more than average. The previous record for May was 7.71 inches, set in 1981.

It was the second-wettest first five months in Billings since 1934. So far this year, 12.99 inches has fallen. Only 1978 had a wetter start, with 15.07 inches by the end of May.

Sunday the high of 47 degrees tied the record for lowest high for May 30.  The only other time the day was that cold was in 1971.

Billings has still not reached 75 degrees this year, another record for 2011.  (Though Matt assures me it finally did yesterday, June 1st)

I am glad it wasn't my imagination.  It really HAS been a freaky cold, wet spring!

Comments

  1. I am facing 100 degrees today in N AL. Trade you! One time in 1978 or so, the temp here never got over 87 all summer and it rained every day it seemed. My three children spent the entire summer with a virus, throwing up at the drop of a hat. We could not go swimming or do much of anything. They just passed this bug around. Most children here were ill as well. It is horrendous when the weather takes a turn to cooler and wetter. Hotter and drier than normal are so much easier to handle for me. How warm will it get this summer?

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  2. My goodness. I will have to see how much rainfall Teton Co. has received.
    We were garage sale shopping this morning and the view of the snow packed mountains was spectacular.
    The Teton River, so far, is a little higher and faster than usual, but no one is concerned...yet. We live about a block from Spring Creek in Choteau and it is the same, a little higher and faster, but not too much.
    I enjoy your blog and your photos from the Billings area. I am going to write down your bread recipe. It sounds fantastic.....Denise

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  3. Certainly unusually cool this Spring in Butte America, but not exceptionally wet. One of the things that most of the climate change models agree on is that the N Rockies will receive more precip (with more as rain & less as snow) as well as warmer avg temps. But the global warming means much more energy into the weather system as a whole, which means more variability & extremes. I think in the short term, though, La Nina has really moderated things for us this year.

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  4. I sure enjoyed the 80+ degrees and sunshine over the weekend. Actually managed to get a teeny sunburn playing badminton. Nice change from the rain and cool.

    Denise- I hope you get much enjoyment and use from the recipe. It is so, so easy and tasty that I don't even bother to make bread any other way now... (and then it can make cinnamon rolls too?!? Its a sweet dream come true!) And thanks, I am glad you a like the blog. It is a fun little project for me.

    EcoRover- That is really interesting! More variability and extremes....sounds like a perfect fit for Montana in way. It sure seems like weather has been growing more extreme in recent memory, but I am never certain how accurate my memory is...that perhaps since it is fresh in mind it just seems more extreme. And does that mean you think without La Nina we could really be in for something next year? Oh, boy.

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