Storm breaks temperature, rainfall records

The two-day rainstorm Monday and Tuesday that was accompanied by low temperatures broke rainfall and precipitation records — two more than a century old — in several cities, including Great Falls.

Record low high temperatures were set in Great Falls (58), Bozeman (62), Dillon (61) and Helena (63), according to the National Weather Service in Great Falls. The old record in Great Falls was 69, set in 1949.

Average high temperatures for late July typically are in the mid-80s, NWS meteorologist Keith Jaszka said.

The .72 inches of rain that fell in Great Falls broke the previous record of .67 inches set in 1909.

In Havre, 1.56 inches of rain fell, breaking the old record of 1.31 inches, also set in 1909.

A 24-hour rain record also was surpassed in Bozeman, where .57 inches of rain fell, breaking the former record of 0.15 inches set in 1956.

Automated weather stations in the Bear Paw Mountains showed rainfall amounts of 3 to 4 inches, Jaszka said.

An unusually strong storm system moving through the region redeveloped east of the Rocky Mountains over eastern Montana during the course of the day and the result was cold air from Canada being transported south into the area, Jaszka said.

“The good news is we have begun a warming trend today,” Jaszka said Tuesday.

Wednesday’s high temperature in Great Falls is expected to reach 80 degrees, and highs from 85 to 90 are forecast Thursday through the weekend.

Mostly sunny skies are expected across northcentral Montana, but there’s a slight chance of thunderstorms across the Hi-Line on Saturday and Sunday including Glacier National Park, where the Reynolds Creek fire is burning. The fire is now 45 percent contained.

Reach Tribune Staff Writer Karl Puckett at 406-750-5383. Twitter: GFTrib_KPuckett.