Montana
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. This map shows drought conditions across Montana using a five-category system, from Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions to Exceptional Drought (D4). The USDM is a joint effort of the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, and NOAA. Learn more.
The following state-specific drought impacts were compiled by the National Drought Mitigation Center. While these impacts are not exhaustive, they can help provide a clearer picture of drought in Montana.
- Soil moisture is low; dryland crop germination is poor; pastures are dry
- Fire danger increases
- Streamflow is low, affecting recreational fishing
- Producers feed livestock supplemental hay; crops are stressed, and growth is poor
- Fire restrictions are implemented
- Hay and crop yields are low; hay quality is poor; subsoil moisture is nonexistent
- Fire count and danger are high; air quality is poor, with dust and smoke
- Livestock ponds are low or dry; water quality is monitored; wells are stressed
- Crops are not harvestable; winter pasture is opened for grazing; soil has large cracks; fields are bare
- Cattle have very little water; producers are hauling water and buying supplemental feed, culling cattle, and selling early
- Fire restrictions increase
- Pasture loss is widespread; crops are destroyed
- Property is closed for hunting
- Fire risk is extremely high; fires are widespread
- Soil moisture is low; dryland crop germination is poor; pastures are dry
- Fire danger increases
- Streamflow is low, affecting recreational fishing
- Producers feed livestock supplemental hay; crops are stressed, and growth is poor
- Fire restrictions are implemented
- Hay and crop yields are low; hay quality is poor; subsoil moisture is nonexistent
- Fire count and danger are high; air quality is poor, with dust and smoke
- Livestock ponds are low or dry; water quality is monitored; wells are stressed
- Crops are not harvestable; winter pasture is opened for grazing; soil has large cracks; fields are bare
- Cattle have very little water; producers are hauling water and buying supplemental feed, culling cattle, and selling early
- Fire restrictions increase
- Pasture loss is widespread; crops are destroyed
- Property is closed for hunting
- Fire risk is extremely high; fires are widespread
- Soil moisture is low; dryland crop germination is poor; pastures are dry
- Fire danger increases
- Streamflow is low, affecting recreational fishing
- Producers feed livestock supplemental hay; crops are stressed, and growth is poor
- Fire restrictions are implemented
- Hay and crop yields are low; hay quality is poor; subsoil moisture is nonexistent
- Fire count and danger are high; air quality is poor, with dust and smoke
- Livestock ponds are low or dry; water quality is monitored; wells are stressed
- Crops are not harvestable; winter pasture is opened for grazing; soil has large cracks; fields are bare
- Cattle have very little water; producers are hauling water and buying supplemental feed, culling cattle, and selling early
- Fire restrictions increase
- Pasture loss is widespread; crops are destroyed
- Property is closed for hunting
- Fire risk is extremely high; fires are widespread
Explore Drought Conditions by City and County
View up-to-date drought conditions down to the city and county level, including temperature, and precipitation conditions, key drought indicators, outlooks, historical conditions, and water supply, agriculture, and public health maps.
Drought in Montana from 2000–Present
The U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000. Since 2000, the longest duration of drought (D1–D4) in Montana lasted 307 weeks beginning on May 16, 2000, and ending on March 28, 2006. The most intense period of drought occurred the week of September 12, 2017, where D4 affected 25.94% of Montana land.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a national map released every Thursday, showing parts of the U.S. that are currently in drought. The USDM relies on drought experts to synthesize the best available data and work with local observers to interpret the information. The USDM also incorporates ground truthing and information about how drought is affecting people, via a network of more than 450 observers across the country, including state climatologists, National Weather Service staff, Extension agents, and hydrologists. Learn more.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is an index to characterize meteorological drought on a range of timescales, ranging from 1 to 72 months. The SPI is the number of standard deviations that observed cumulative precipitation deviates from the climatological average. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information produce the 9-month SPI values below on a monthly basis, going back to 1895. Learn more.
Tree rings are used to extend the instrumental record of drought to over 2,000 years. The Living Blended Drought Product (LBDP) is a recalibrated data series of June-July-August Palmer Modified Drought Index (PMDI) values in the lower 48 U.S. states. This dataset blends tree-ring reconstructions and instrumental data to estimate the average summer PMDI values, which extend over 2,000 years in some parts of the U.S. Learn more.
Web Resources for Montana
Upper Missouri River Basin (UMRB) Drought Indicators Dashboard
Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation | Drought Management
Governor's Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee
1995 Montana Drought Response Plan
Montana State University Extension
NDMC | Montana Drought Planning Resources
USDA Farm Service Agency | Montana
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | MSO - Missoula, MT
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | TFX - Great Falls, MT
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | GGW - Glasgow, MT
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | BYZ - Billings, MT
Tell us how drought is impacting your community by submitting a condition monitoring report. Your submissions help us better understand how drought is affecting local conditions.