Montana’s Hot Today, But Summer May Not Be That Way

A scorching triple threat is hitting parts of northeast Monday, with some dangerous heat, critical fire risk, and hazardous boating conditions on the state's largest reservoir.

But the latest long-range outlook suggests this probably won't be the pattern for the entire summer.

The National Weather Service in Glasgow issued a heat advisory for today, with temperatures climbing into the mid-90s, with the potential to top 100 degrees in a few locations. Additionally, some red flag warnings were posted. And boaters were being urged to stay off the Fork Peck Reservoir because of the potential for high winds.

     Temperatures were also high again across the Billings region and Southeast Montana, although conditions had cooled west of the Divide with showers and possible thunderstorms.

But don't expect this to be the pattern all summer

. The latest outlook from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center indicates more hot weather is on the way this summer.

However, the complexities resulting from the switch to the El Niño weather pattern in the Pacific, and its impact on global weather, have the Treasure State facing a far from simple forecast.

The seasonal temperature outlook actually shows Montana being split in 3 different temperature zones. For Western Montana, east to Great Falls and including Central and Southwest Montana, temperatures have a 50-to-60% chance of being "above normal". That drops to 40 to 50% for the zone stretching from the HiLine south to Billings and Southeast Montana. The northeastern corner of the state has a 30-to-40% chance of seeing "above normal" temperatures in June, July, and August.

Daines presses for remaining water agreement

Officials with the U-S Interior Department are pledging to work on getting Montana's last outstanding tribal water compact resolved before the end of the year.

That commitment was voiced last week, when the Senate Indian Affairs Committee was hearing testimony from Assistant Interior Secretary William Kirkland.

Senator Steve Daines is working to get the Northern Montana Water Security Act approved, resolving the treaty promises made by the federal government to the Fort Belknap Indian Community. If fully passed and enacted, it would complete the final remaining tribal Indian Water Rights Settlement in Montana, resolving decades of litigation and water usage uncertainty across the state's northern tier.

Daines told the undersecretary that resolving the dispute is critical for the tribes, but also the ranching and farming interests all across the HiLine.

"This is about water security for tribal and non-tribal water users," Daines stated. "It's for infrastructure, for Montana, agriculture, and certainty for future generations of Montana. These are legacy kind of decisions we can make and move forward and settle it and not put this on the backs of our children and grandchildren."

"The bill I have ensures long-term stability across the high line of Montana and upholds the federal government's trust responsibility." -Senator Steve Daines

If approved, the Act would legally affirm the water rights of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, made up of the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine tribes. It would also outline a process to restore about 4600 acres of state lands within the reservation to tribal management, in exchange for comparable federal lands elsewhere, along with a prohibition on gaming operations on those lands. And most importantly, it would free up as much as $1.3 billion in infrastructure funding, which would be critical to restoring community water systems.

Montana unemployment remains low

Montana’s job market is showing fresh signs of strength today.

Governor Greg Gianforte announced that the state’s unemployment rate ticked down to 3.5% for the month of April, comfortably beating the national average, which is holding steady at 4.3%.

State labor officials note that while overall labor force numbers saw a slight dip, the drop in unemployment was even larger. The biggest bright spots for job seekers right now? Construction and healthcare both saw the largest payroll gains over the month.

Meanwhile, inflation continues to linger in the background—the Consumer Price Index rose 0.6% in April, largely driven by surging energy costs.