Montana News Roundup: Are You Ready for the Heat?

It probably won't set records, but this week's weather is expected to take a definite turn into summer after several cooler, showery weeks that even brought some more high-country snow.

National Weather Service forecasters say most places will be 10-to-15 degrees above normal this week, as high pressure settles over the Northern Rockies, bringing warm, dry weather.

     Some of the valleys in Western Montana look likely to top 90 degrees for the first time Thursday.

RELATED: Looks Like a Dry Summer on Montana Rivers

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How hot will it be in Montana?

☀️ Missoula may hit 90 degrees as soon as Thursday. Great Falls and Billings will follow suit next weekend, but some locations, such as Bozeman, will remain in the 80s.

There is a chance Northwest and Southwest Montana will see some scattered showers with a weak disturbance on Thursday. Otherwise, there's no real rain in the forecast until a turn to cooler, wetter conditions next week.

Keeping it safe on Montana rivers

A spike in temperatures this early also raises new concerns for rescuers, who worry that people will be tempted to cool off in rivers and streams at a time when they're the most hazardous. Snowmelt and runoff have all waterways running fast and cold.

There have already been reports of one search on the Bitterroot River. And authorities are also warning floaters to be aware of new hazards left over from last year's storms and the winter channel changes. Chris Wolfe has the latest warnings here.

Bringing trees back in Missoula & Hamilton

It's been nearly a year since a pair of severe thunderstorms blasted through Western Montana, downing hundreds of trees and causing millions of dollars in damage.

But urban foresters are still working to help Missoula and Hamilton recover. This month, the Montana Urban and Community Forestry Association is helping not only replant some trees, but also provide 5 years of maintenance.

Association Chair Patrick Plantenberg says the money came through the Arbor Day Foundation, with the vehicle rental company, Enterprise Mobility Foundation, providing $38,000 for the project.

     Plantenberg says communities across the state were left in the lurch when Washington suddenly cut hundreds of thousands of dollars for tree projects.

"Butte was supposed to receive $150,000. Billings was supported to receive a million dollars," Plantenberg notes. "The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Urban Community Forestry Program was supposed to receive $300,000 to $400,000."

"All of those grants have gone away." - Patrick Plantenberg, Montana Urban and Community Forestry Association

Missoula volunteers who want to help with planting are encouraged to show up on Wednesday at 9:45 am at Pleasant View Park to help, and also learn more about proper planting and care of trees.

Zinke stipulates position on public lands sales

Representative Ryan Zinke is clarifying his decision to support the Trump budget that cleared the House of Representatives last week, noting that he only supported the package after the idea of selling public lands was "stripped" from the bill.

Zinke had created some headlines a couple of weeks ago when he came out against the idea to sell off some public lands as a way of raising some revenue, while also making vacant land in some areas available to help alleviate the housing shortage.

Zinke, who had thrown support behind the new Public Lands Caucus, said he could support other provisions of the budget plan, including tax cuts, but said he could only do so if the lands sell-off idea was removed from the final package.

Montana Monday Math

     ⚡️ According to Earth Networks, Montana receives as many as 4.6 million lightning strikes per year!