We generally think of Idaho and Montana as great places to escape the heat of summer. With their rugged peaks, glacial valleys, evergreen forests and rushing streams, they are the epitome of cool. Not this week!
A persistent high pressure ridge, which has brought severe heat to the Southwest all summer, has nudged its way into the Northwest, steering Pacific cold fronts up through British Columbia and down through eastern Saskatchewan. As a result, heat has been building from eastern Oregon through the western Dakotas all week, compounding the drought that has plagued this region for more than a year. Storms that develop over the mountains bring little relief, since the hot, dry air evaporates the rain before it reaches the ground; furthermore, these storms bring lightening, the primary cause of numerous wildfires across the region.
Too far north to benefit from the southwest monsoons of late summer, this area may have to await the early snowstorms of autumn to break the cycle of heat and drought. September snow will be more than welcome!
