Extra precipitation helping with drought

While a patch of dry conditions is still centered on Hill, Blaine and northern Chouteau counties and a patch of drought in northwestern Montana is pushing into the western edge of Liberty County, significant winter snowfall and recent rains have been helping lighten the Montana drought map in this area.

After years of dry weather pushed the area into significant moisture deficits — the region was more than 11 inches short of normal over a five-year period last fall — snowfall and recent rains have driven parts of this area to well-above normal levels of precipitation for the month, year and wa...