Montana Spring Weather Report

Every month we receive a monthly weather update courtesy of Tom Dimeola.  Tom does a great job keeping track of weather trends in the Madison Valley in comparison to the past years. We've compiled the last few months and will be putting these out seasonally so that you can follow along with us and Tom and see just how much the weather impacts everything, especially fishing, in the Madison Valley.  Feel free to reach out to us if you have anything that you'd like to add to these reports or if you have any questions for us.  Email - flyshop@mrfc.com 

JANUARY

January, 2021 basically a boring weather month.  It never got very cold and it never got very warm.  A 45 degree spread for a month in Montana is very narrow and not common.  Although seemingly dry we ended up slightly ahead of the 19 year average in moisture and snowfall. Hard to believe but it was not nearly as windy as it was in January, 2020.

Highlights,

• Mean average temperature of 26.68 was 2 degrees above the 19 year average of 26.68 degrees.
• The mean low and mean high temperatures were both about 2 degrees above the 19 year average.
• the 52 mph wind gust on 1/13 was the highest wind gust I have ever recorded in January.
• 2^nd January in a row with no days below zero.
• 6 less 30 mph wind days then January, 2020. 13 this year vs 19 in 2020.

FEBRUARY

February weather has gotten more brutal the last few years and 2021 was no exception.  February, 2021 had the third coldest Mean Low and the 2^nd lowest Mean High in my 19 years of records. There were 8 days below zero which is over twice normal and we had the 2^nd highest wind gust I have ever recorded at 58 mph on 2/22.

Highlights,

• A mean Low of 9.21 degrees versus the 19 year average of 16.52 degrees.
• A mean High of 27.39 degrees versus the 19 year average of 36.22 degrees.
• A mean Average temperature of 18.30 degrees versus the 19 year average of 26.37 degrees.
• 16.5 inches of snow versus the 19 year average of 7.32 inches.
• 8 days with below zero temperatures versus the 19 year average of 3.16 days.
• Precipitation and precipitation days were normal.

MARCH

March was very dry, slightly cooler than normal and did I mention, very dry!  There was only 0.32 inches of precipitation versus the 19 year average of 0.71 and only 5 precipitation days vs the average of 9.21. Snow accumulation was 1.5 inches vs the average of 5.47.

Highlights,

• A mean Low of 24.55 degrees versus the 19 year average of 25.64 degrees.
• 0.32 inches of precipitation versus the 19 year average of 0.71 inches.
• 27 days below freezing or below versus the 19 year average of 23,58 days.
• 1.5 inches of snow versus the 19 year average of 5.47 inches.

APRIL

April, 2021 was dry, cold and windy!  Ennis registered only 0.54 inches of precipitation vs the 19 year average of 1.34 inches and only 6 precipitation days versus the 19 year average of 10.74.

Highlights,

• 0.54 inches of precipitation versus the 19 year average of 1.34 inches.
• 6 precipitation days versus the 19 year average of 10.74 days.
• Only the 2^nd April in 19 years with no measured snow.
• The mean low of 27.53 degrees was 2.4 degrees below the 19 year average of 29.90 degrees.
• The mean average temperature of 40.68 degrees was 1.4 degrees below the 19 year average of 42.01 degrees.
• 20 Days with winds over 30 mph and 4 days with winds over 40 mph.
• 83 degrees on 4/30 was the highest April temperature I have ever recorded in 19 years and only the second time I recorded an 80 degree temp in April, (2012).

MAY

A cool and thankfully wet May of 2021. The mean low, high and average were all below the 19 year average. Precipitation was over an inch above the 19 year average.

 

Highlights,

• 2.86 inches of precipitation versus the 19 year average of 1.82 inches.
• 6 inches of snow versus the 19 year average of 0.97 inches.
• 13 days below freezing versus the 19 year average of 7.79 days.
• The mean high of 60.81 degrees was 2.54 degrees below the 19 year average of 63.36 degrees.
• The mean low of 35.35 degrees was almost 2 degrees below the 19 year average of 37.10 degrees.
• The mean average temperature of 48.08 degrees was 2 degrees below the 19 year average of 50.23 degrees.