Fifty Percent of Montana Currently in a State of Drought

After a dry, smoky summer, many are worried that 2013 will bring more drought and fires to Montana.

Hydrologist Ray Nickless of the National Weather Service in Missoula says snow-pack started well in November and December but has been fading through January. As far as drought is concerned, Nickless says "maybe half, if not three quarters of the state" is under some level of drought conditions right now, but that there has been some improvement over the winter.

The regions most effected by drought are in south and southeastern Montana.

Still, Nickless says that it is too difficult to predict what next summer's fire season might be like. Much will depend on the amount of rain that falls during the summer months.