Montana Earthquakes

     Each week Montana averages over 10 earthquakes. We often don’t feel them because they are so small, but a destructive quake could strike at any moment. All Montanan’s are at risk, but Helena is especially susceptible because of the many fault lines underlying the terrain. But as Lewis and Clark County Disaster and Emergency Services Director Paul Spengler points out, “you don't have to be sitting right on a fault to receive major damage from an earthquake”.

     In fact, Spengler says the origin of the devastating 6.3 Helena quake of 1935 is thought to have originated near the Scratch Gravel Hills.  Spengler notes we can all learn from the two fatalities of '35, which resulted when two men ran out of a shaking building. If you're inside when a quake hits, take cover under a sturdy object. Do not run outside!

     "What happens is that walls of buildings will typically fall out, so if you run outdoors you become a target for all that falling debris" Spengler Explains.

    Since earthquakes can occur at any time, day or night, winter or summer, always have sufficient food and water on hand and an emergency plan in place. It is recommended to have a gallon of water per person per day for 72 hours, plenty of food which needs no preparation or refrigeration, and a battery powered radio. And now you're a little moreWeather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Ellen Bacca, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Well the news is out. The recent tornado in Billings has officially been rated as an EFf-2 tornado. In this week’s Weather Wise we look at how experts rate tornadoes. For twelve minutes the Billings tornado ripped through downtown with winds over 120 miles per hour. At the end of its path it virtually hovered over the Metra Arena for several minutes, increasing the damage.

The national weather service has classified this tornado as an EF-2. But, how do meteorologists officially rank tornados? First, they rank the extensiveness of the damage. Critical to that assessment is the structural soundness of impacted structures.  Ben Schott, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Great Falls explains that  "building strength and uh the way things are constructed are extremely important. Things that are poorly constructed are going to be more likely to be damaged in a strong wind event or tornado".

Key things are mortar between cinder blocks or steel rods in the cinder blocks themselves. Shoddy buildings can be ripped apart by even small tornadoes and straight line winds. Well built structures may withstand a small tornado but sustain damage in a powerful storm.

"How things are nailed together how things are put together from the home to the foundation all these little things can be very significant" Schott explains.

Although the Billings tornado was quite impressive, Montana is capable of seeing much stronger twisters with winds over 200 miles per hour. However most of these stronger twisters are limited to areas closer to our eastern boarder. And now you are a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Ellen Bacca, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

There is nothing worse than forgetting sunscreen on a long day out in the sun. In this week's weather wise we'll look at the science of sunburns.

Did you know that Montana has a higher elevation than 40 of the 50 states? This elevation actually makes us much more susceptible to burns and long term damage, such as skin cancer. When sun beams enter into the atmosphere, they travel through layers and layers of gasses and clouds. This acts to weaken the harmful U-V radiation. But since we live at such high elevations here in Montana, the sun beams are less filtered and much stronger. This means we get burned faster than flatlanders. Because of this, more and more Montana residents are seeing cases of skin cancer

Family Nurse Practitioner Megan Gittings shares, "I would say that I do biopsies and confirm cases of skin cancer at least 3-5 times per week and I am one of five providers here in the clinic, so were really seeing a lot."

Our increase in skin cancer can also be blamed on the weather.

"Especially since we've had such a wet spring, people are really eager to be outside right now and their being out when the sun its at its highest, you know, between 10-4". Gittings adds.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US and is also the only one that is preventable. So this summer, be safe. Wear the sunblock and avoid doing outdoor activities between ten and four. Remember your choices today can save your skin in the future! And now you are a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Ellen Bacca, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This week is officially lightning safety week, and it couldn't hit at a better time. In this week's Weather Wise we'll look at how to stay safe when lightning strikes.

Just last week nine people were injured at Yellowstone National Park by a lightning strike. But often we forget how dangerous lightning can be.

Jonathan Suk, from the National Weather Service in Great Falls says "lighting is actually very dangerous especially for the people of Montana. We rank number seven, per capita, in lightning deaths per year and a lot of that is because Montana has a smaller population."

We also have a lot of our population which likes to do things outdoors, so this increases the risk for lightning strike. Lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from its parent storm. This means it can stretch across clear blue sky to strike its target on the ground.

"the bulk of the lightning deaths actually occur for people who are ahead of the storm and its not raining yet, but they believe that they can get in that extra half inning of softball or that extra couple of holes at the golf course even though they are in imminent danger of being struck by lightning" says Suk.

Most lightning deaths can be avoided. The simple rule is, when thunder roars go indoors. If you're caught outdoors, quickly find low elevation away from tall objects and water, and squat down on the balls of your feet. When lightning strikes the ground, electricity spreads through it like a spider web. So the less of your body touching the ground, the safer you are! And now you are a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Ellen Bacca, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

If the conditions are just right, any thunderstorm can spawn a tornado in a relative blink of an eye.

In this week's weather wise, we take a look into the largest ever tornado study going on in the plains as we speak.

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NWS Meteorologist Ben Schott says, "we have a pretty good idea of how these things form, but there's still a lot of secrets we have to unlock and vortex2 will hopefully help us start to pick those locks and get into that information."

More than 100 researchers are involved with the Vortex2 study that began May first and ends June 15th.

The 11.9 million dollar program is funded primarily by the National Science Foundation & the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Their goal?

To chase down tornadoes and get an idea of what really makes the most destructive of all atmospheric disturbances develop.

Schott continues, "it's a really big project, but it's an important project. Hopefully to advance the science so we get to the point where we can start issuing tornado warnings maybe an hour in advance, there may not even be a thunderstorm developed yet."

The study area spans more than 900 miles, stretching from west Texas to southwestern Minnesota.

Schott says figuring out how some thunderstorms are capable of producing a tornado and some not might take some time, but it's well worth it.

"And that's the future of where we're looking to go. We may still be 15, 20, 30 years away, but it's this groundbreaking science that's happening now that may allow us to do that in the future."

Tornadoes have been recorded in all 50 states and Montana see's it's fair share of tornadoes each year itself, so this information will not only help tornado alley, but us, too.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

No doubt there is serious concern about how the hurricane season will impact the ongoing efforts for the oil spill in the Gulf.  In this week's weather wise, we take a look into what could happen.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Even though severe weather awareness week was in mid-April, anytime is as good as any to learn about the dangers of severe weather.

That's in this week's weather wise.

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Once a year in April, the National Weather Service holds severe weather awareness week in order to help inform the public on the dangers associated with severe weather and how to stay safe.

NWS Meteorologist Ben Schott says, "typically, severe weather in the form of thunderstorms, damaging winds, large hail tends to happen in the period between late May into August so we're getting close to that time of the year."

NWS stresses having a plan for when severe weather strikes and knowing the basics about severe weather.

For example, did you know that a "watch" is issued when the potential exists for severe weather to occur within the next 8 hours or that a "warning" is issued when it's occurring or will shortly after being issued?

It's facts like these, among others that can save lives.

Montana has four National Weather Service offices that serve the state.

They issue those watches and warnings for the protection of life and property.

For additional information, you can contact your local office...  Billings at 652-0851, Great Falls at 453-2081, Glasgow at 228-4042 and Missoula at 329-4740.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Be a little more Weather Wise Mondays during Beartooth News.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

It's that time of year again... the weather is starting to warm-up and many of us are making plans to get those gardens started.

But right now is a tricky time to plant... the reason why is in this week's weather wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

     One of the worst combinations Montana sees is dry, windy, and hot weather along with dry fire fuels

In this week's Weather Wise we highlight a federal agency trying to reduce one potential fire hazard, right in Helena.

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The Bureau of Land Management began fire mitigation measures last October in nearly 300 acres along the road systems on the west end of the Scratchgravel Hills.

Fire Management Specialist Charles Tuss says, "when we first started planning this, there wasn't pine beetle out here so that's just increased the fuel loading and the necessity to get this done."

According to the Project Manager Steve Marks, forested stands are being cut down and harvested... something that he says needed to be done.

"It's a good project for Helena, it's a really good project for people that live in the Scratchgravel Hills because it's an inferno waiting to happen... and it's not to say that it's not going to happen, but it'll help a lot.  We should have 30, 40, 50 foot spacing in this kind of tree stand and we've got upwards of 1,000 to 2,000 trees per acre in some places, so we're taking that down to 40."

Tuss says in addition to making the Scratchgravels a little safer, the removed trees can be put to good use.

"The contractor will take all this wood that we're processing here and grind it up for hog fuel which is used for heat or electricity or use it for pulp which will go into a paper product or cardboard product."

A big project... one that's expected to take at least a full year or more, depending on funding.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Weather Wise Special Report

The cleanup is underway in Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky after a series of thunderstorms slammed across the region over the weekend, leaving behind widespread flooding.

The death toll now stands at 22 as of Monday, with fear that number could rise.

Leanne Gregg has the details in this week's weather wise.

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 Nashville Resident Robert Andrews says, "Mother Nature can be cruel and certainly she's dealt us a really bad hand this past weekend."

A weekend that brought thunderstorms, tornadoes and flooding that continues across the midsouth.

High water and severe storms have damaged thousands of homes, forced closures of hundreds of roads, and stranded residents surrounded by water.

 Nashville Resident Amy Greenman says, "this is crazy. I've lived here my entire life and never seen anything like it."

In Tennessee, the Cumberland River crested Monday at record levels.

The relentless line of storms dumped more than 13 inches of rain in two days forcing evacuations in Nashville including parts of downtown.

The famed Opryland Hotel is among the buildings damaged by flooding, with up to six feet of standing water inside the building.

Security video shows dramatic moments when a portable school classroom washed away.

In Mississippi, families try to recover what they can after suspected tornadoes ripped homes apart.

And in Kentucky, miles of farmland are now underwater.

While the cleanup is already underway the wait is on for the waters to recede and the rebuilding to begin.

Leanne Gregg, NBC news.

A Special Report for Weather Wise this week.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Ever wonder why thermometer readings at local banks and even in your own car don't quite add up?

The reason is in this week's weather wise!

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Ok, is it 55 degrees? Or 73 degrees?!

This "temperature war" is something that has plagued, I'm sure, many of us while driving.

One bank thermometer says one thing, while another one a few blocks down says another!

The reason... is all about location.

Director of Mountain West Bank Mike Dalton says, "the thermometer is located on the sign itself. And the thermometer behind me is actually within the canopy, so it's out of the direct sunlight."

Many thermometers are placed underneath protection, like a canopy, keeping them mostly in the shade... some a little too close to the sun's direct rays.

The difference in location can affect the temperature reading drastically!

Dalton continues, "in talking to the sign manufacturer, they shouldn't be exposed to the direct sunlight because you don't get as accurate of a reading as you should and so that's why we locate them on the north side or, like the one behind me, if there's a canopy that covers it."

Even in cars... it all depends on where the thermometer is located... in mirrors, under bumpers, almost anywhere you can imagine.

Just remember now when you're looking at various readings from bank and car thermometers, why they vary... some more than others.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The el nino event this winter has taken a heavy toll in Montana.

In this week's weather wise, we find out exactly what it's done to our snowpack.

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This winter has proven to be warmer and drier than average because of the el nino event that peaked mid-winter.

DNRC water resources and climate planner Jesse Aber says, "it's expected to trail down into neutral territory about the end of May and whether it has much effect on us between now and then I'm not sure, I sure like the trend we see now!"

And that trend called for a slightly cooler and wetter month of April!

Our mid-April storm brought a nice last minute dose of moisture... however...

"The handwriting is on the wall west of the divide. Some parts on the west side not quite as bad as others, but generally speaking, streamflows there are expected to be in the 60-65% ranges, except for the Bitterroot & Lower Clark Fork where you're talking more 50%."

Some troubled drainages on the east side are the Lower Yellowstone, and the Jefferson, Sun, Teton & Marias up the Rocky Mountain Front.

This includes the Dearborn River, where, snowpack is around 60% of average.

Aber says, "in Montana, 80% of our surface water comes from the mountain snowpack. That's how critical it is, so there's no amount of rain that can really make up for that snowpack not being there."

Aber says the eastern and northern plains and central Montana are doing better with nearly three quarters of the 38 counties rated "no drought"... the others rated "slightly dry."

He says the biggest concern in coming weeks will be warm spells taking up to 20 percent of the snowpack... in a week.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Listen up! The national weather service needs your help!

In this week's weather wise, we learn about a volunteer job essential to the organization and how you can get involved.

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It happens roughly once a year for various communities across the state... a weather spotter training class.

They're free, beneficial... and, oh ya, a necessity to the National Weather Service!

National Weather Service Meteorologist Ben Schott says "even though we have fantastic technology, radar, observation equipment across the state, having volunteers call in the reports of weather they see is extremely important for us because it's impossible for us to know what's going on in everybody's backyard."

Schott says even though there are about 3,000 weather spotters across the state, they always need more... and in wide, dispersed numbers, too!

"If all your severe weather spotters live in Halena and they all live in Great Falls, you're not going to get the report of something that happens in White Sulpher Springs or in Lewistown or maybe even a smaller community in the State."

Schott says the training course for weather spotters is very thorough.

First and foremost, it teaches them how to determine what information is useful for the organization.

But, more importantly, it stresses not risking their or anyone else's safety while gathering the data.

If you're interested in attending the next class in Helena on April 19th from 2 until 4 in the afternoon, contact the Lewis and Clark County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Paul Spengler at 447-8285.

Reservations are required for the 30 open seats.

Schott says "as storms start moving across the state, a report that you call in may be what saves someone else's life or property down the road."

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Needless to say, this winter's El Nino has taken a toll on our snowpack... especially west of the divide.

And with longer, warmer days, it's that time of year when the ski resorts turn off the lifts... that's in this week's Weather Wise.

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The 2009-2010 ski season is coming to an end.

While most resorts closed this past weekend, a few remain open through next weekend.

Those include Big Sky, Moonlight Basin, Red Lodge Mountain and Great Divide.

Even though we've see some welcome moisture recently, it's not enough to put a dent in our drought.

It might come as a surprise to learn that the lack of snow isn't the only reason ski resorts shut down.

It's purely business.

Many skiers shift to spring sports like golfing instead of skiing.

Also, hundreds of employees at many resorts have planned vacations or gotten new jobs... so, in the end, keeping resorts running would affect ticket prices.

Local ski resort Great Divide owner Kevin Taylor doesn't face that issue, though.

With a smaller resort and staff, along with the fact that he owns a portion of the mountain, he can afford to keep Great Divide open longer... if Mother Nature allows, that is.

Liquid precipitation averages over an inch for Great Falls.

This month, we haven't even come close!

Helena only seeing less than a quarter inches and Great Falls, right there, too.

With this winter's El Nino winding down, let's hope we can get a few more runs in!

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

It's probably one of our least favorite road conditions... potholes.

In this week's weather wise, we take a look into how they form.

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In addition to causing us to spill our coffee, they wreak havoc on our vehicle tires, suspension and axels.

But, they are a big part of winter and simply a result of water freezing and expanding. Montana department of transportation public information officer Charity Watt says "water will get into a crack in the asphalt either by rain or snow run off and that water is underneath the asphalt then with gravel and dirt and then the water freezes as temperatures drop."

She continues they can happen almost overnight.

"Our crews are out on the roads daily and they keep a close eye on where potholes are forming."

In winter, a temporary, cold mix is used, but potholes can often reform soon after being fixed.

Watt says, as the saying goes, summer is construction and repair season!

"The permanent fixes on potholes happen in the summer time when the temperatures are warmer and we can use a hot mix asphalt that adheres and is a long term solution."  

Watt says try to avoid the potholes while driving. 

And until water impervious asphalt is developed, potholes will be as much a part of winter as snowmen!!!

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Have you wondered whether or not last fall's dry, brown leaves still on the trees will cause problems this spring as new buds sprout...

That's the topic of this week's weather wise.

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Believe it or not, this sort of thing isn't all too uncommon and has happened before... about 4 or 5 years ago according to Valley Farms owner Dennis Flynn.

He says, "in the fall, as the day length shortens and the temps drop, the absition layer starts to harden because the oxin level in the plant decreases and then the carbohydrates to the leaf stop, the leaf turns it's natural color and then they should fall off naturally after the absition layer hardens and the leaf separates."

What we saw happen this past fall was an early cold snap in October.

In that case, the temps dropped too early... the leaves went from green to brown, never turning into their beautiful, fall colors.

Further, the leaves basically just locked onto the plant without hardening and falling off.

Flynn says, "there's not a problem with that, horticulturally it's never a problem, only if people go out and try to knock the leaves off the tree."

So, Flynn says, don't try to prune the trees or take the old, dried leaves off... let Mother Nature do her thing.

"So, let nature... as the bud on the plant expands for spring, it'll pop the old leaf off and mainly we're only seeing it on maples and birch, but whatever tree you do have, just let nature take it's course and it won't be a problem."

Now, your spring yard work might feel a little more like fall's!

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Monday marks the beginning of 

National Flood Safety Awareness 

Week.

In this week's weather wise, we look into the one weather event that kills more people in the U.S. than anything

else.

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National Flood Safety Awareness 

Week is March 15th though the 19th.

Spring arrives next weekend along with snowmelt swollen streams & rivers, which means flooding.

Beware the potential dangers.

Gina loss is the service hydrologist with the Great Falls Weather Forecast Office.

She says, "floods typically kill more people than lightning, tornadoes, or hurricanes, so we really want people to be aware of what some of the dangers are of flooding and especially now as we move into our spring run off season which is primarily Montana's busiest flood season."

She also says education is the number one tool.

"March is our big month for ice jams in Montana and even though we may not have a lot of snow in the mountains, people may think that that means we won't have the flooding issues. Well, the amount of snow in the mountains doesn't necessarily equate to how much ice is on the rivers."

Loss stresses the "turn around, don't drown" slogan...

"It takes only 6 inches of water to knock a person off of their feet and it takes only 2 feet of water to float most vehicles and that includes SUVs.

After spring flooding passes, concerns about summer flash flooding increase because of sudden rainfall from thunderstorms.

For more information on National Flood Awareness Week, visit the Great Falls National Weather Service website at wrh.noaa.gov/tfx and click on the link.

nd now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

As cold weather sets in for the winter, house fires usually increase.

Beartooth NBC's Erin Yost lets us know why that happens is in this week's weather wise.

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While only 32 percent of home heating fires involve space heaters, they are involved in 79 percent of home heating fire deaths... that's according to a new report by the National Fire Protection Association.

Helena Fire Marshal Craig Trapp says, "people fall asleep, they go to bed and they forget to unplug the space heater and the space heater keeps putting heat on nearby combustibles and eventually, you can reduce the ignition temperatures of those combustibles and they can burn."

Trapp says it's fairly easy for fires to start... it's like placing your oven burner on or near your carpet... of course it'll burn.

"People need to be very cautious, a space heater isn't a typical appliance. You can't leave it alone! If it's plugged in, you've gotta be there at all times."

He says a three foot safety zone around the heater is a must.

If you leave the room, turn off the space heater.

Check for electrical cord cracking, never overload electrical wiring & don't use extention cords.

Also, watch out for kids and animals... they're a common cause for tipped over space heaters.

Trapp says some newer and safer space heaters are now availible.

"They're oil filled and they don't get as hot. They seem to be safer so far because they're not exposed like the coiled wire ones are."

As we near the end of winter, keep these tips in mind for next year.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Frostbite and hypothermia are the two most common cold weather hazards.

Perhaps we could use a lesson on better preparation.

That and some other pointers are in this week's weather wise.

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Many of us know to dress warmly when headed outside during the winter months, but all to commonly, someone forgets that lesson or worse, gets lost outdoors without proper preparation.

Disaster & Emergency Services Coordinator Paul Spengler says, "often times you see people getting out of their trucks in very skimpy clothing, light jackets, and they're not prepared to get stuck or if they get into an accident or if a sudden blizzard comes and they can't go on!"

Spengler says both frostbite and hypothermia, leading to possible death, are the worst case scenarios. Frostbite and Hypothermia

He recommends dressing in loose clothing, wearing mittens or wind resistant gloves and a hat, and packing an emergency kit in case that worst case scenario happens.

Another cold weather concern is carbon monoxide poisoning which is a leading cause of accidental death in the U.S.

Spengler says, "symptoms are bad headaches, you might feel nauseous, you'd certainly feel dizzy and often times, unfortunately, people die in their sleep from carbon monoxide poisoning."

He and health officials alike warn if you experience symptoms, get out immediately.

"Get oxygen. Go outdoors, open doors and windows, allow carbon monoxide to leave the home or enclosure where they are. That's immediate first aid and it will work and it could save your life."

Purchasing an inexpensive carbon monoxide detector is a key preventive step.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Snow at Cypress Mountain has been one of the biggest stories at the Vancouver Olympic games.

We look into the much improved weather Vancouver, British Columbia now enjoys in this week's weather wise.

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After a warm & rainy start to the Winter Olympic games with snow being trucked and flown into Cypress Mountain... mother nature finally has smiled upon the games.

VANOC Tim Gayda says "the weather we're faced with now, we couldn't ask for any better weather where its cold and clear at night and its freezing that base level right to the ground is really what we're looking for. Mother nature is finally being kind to us."

Poor conditions had forced organizers to cancel 28 thousand spectator tickets.

Experts say they are working with what they have, but they plan on bringing in even more outside snow and are hoping the rain stays away.

Gayda continues, "we're taking the new fresh snow, and mixing it in with the older snow and adding water.  It sounds like a baking exercise, but largely we're trying to get the bonding properties of that snow back to what it should be. Basically what we're faced with is kinda like ball bearings."

Interestingly, organizers say, at this point, they don't want real snow!

That will disrupt the process they've established to deal with the lack of the white stuff.

Lately, the Pacific Northwest has seen a large ridge of high pressure.

It's providing plenty of sunshine, warmer days and cold nights, something organizers

and competitors probably have enjoyed.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Unseasonably warm temperatures and rain have left Cypress Mountain with less snow than competitors and organizers would like.

A look into the Vancouver Olympics weather is in this week's weather wise.

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Despite unseasonably warm temperatures and rain, Vancouver's Cypress Mountain is still open for business.

A shortage of snow prompted Olympic Organizers to use straw bales on Cypress

Mountain to help create jumps and corners for the snowboarding and freestyle

venues,

At higher elevations, lack of snow is not so much of an issue.

VANOC Tim Gayda says "we have an exorbitant amount of snow in the higher elevations and we've been very, very confident that we have everything that we need to do up there at the mountain."

VANOC Renee Smith-Valade follows, "the venue is looking terrific but it's really just being prudent to make sure that if it should stay warm or possibly get warmer we have a stockpile of snow on site that we can draw on should we need it."

Snowboarders were allowed on the mountain Sunday for their training runs.

Despite that rain and warm weather, snowboarder Nate Holland says he believes the conditions on the course are getting better.

"It's the exact opposite of what we were dealing with two days ago. Which is good I mean, it's always good to have speed and to have some, some different speeds in the course, so I think the most challenging part is going to be dealing with the soft snow."

Rain, fog, snow or no snow, the Olympic athletes will get it done.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

We've heard the term often, especially this winter... inversion.

But what exactly are they and how do they form?

In this week's weather wise, we learn what happens when weather goes topsy-turvy.

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Inversions are common during the winter in mountainous areas... some areas more prone than others, like the Big Hole Valley for instance and even Helena.

But what is a temperature inversion?

Meteorologist with The National Weather Service Ben schott says, "it's when you have a little bit warmer air above colder air which is the opposite of what normally is found in the atmosphere."

Usually, cold, arctic air, which is denser, moves in and sinks.

When that happens, it's trapped in valleys or other areas within the mountains.

But inversions don't affect all places the same according Schott.

"Once the winds really start to pick up, it let's the atmosphere mix well up to maybe 5 or 10,000 feet and if there's a little warmer air up there, it'll mix out that colder air that's stuck at the bottom portions of the valleys."

Take Great Falls for example.

Chinook or downsloping winds scour out the colder air leaving temps in the 30s or 40s while inversion areas only top out in the teens or 20s.

This creates a headache for forecasters... what area will get enough wind to mix the inversions out?

Besides being colder than other areas, there's another downside to inversions.

Schott continues, "once you get that inversion, it's like putting a cap on the atmosphere and say the inversion is only 1,000 feet high, you're trapping all the pollution, smog, whatever it may be is all being trapped within that first 1,000 feet off the ground."

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Punxsutawney Phil makes annual weather forecast. Hear his prediction.

It looks like six more weeks of winter.  

Punxsutawney Phil made that prediction Tuesday morning after seeing his shadow at gobbler's knob.

Legend has it if the world's most famous groundhog sees his shadow on February second winter will last another six weeks, if he doesn't see it then spring will come early.

Story provided by NBC Newschannel

Copyright ©2010 NBC Newschannel. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Late January's storm dropped significant snowfall across much of the state east of the divide.

In this week's weather wise, we take a look at some of the numbers.

After somewhat of a lull in the snowfall department so far this winter, a significant storm moved in on the 22nd.

The higher amounts were in the Highwood, Bears Paw and Big Snowy Mountains with up to 3 feet reported.

Lower elevations picked up a nice amount, too!

4 miles east of Belt, 22 inches fell.

36 inches southeast of Highwood... and one mile outside of Lewistown, 23 inches fell.

Not so much in Helena with 5.1 inches being reported, but Great Falls, a little over 13 inches.

Havre recorded the second highest two day snowfall amount and Great Falls the third greatest two day amount.

Once the system began to move into the Dakotas, blizzard conditions appeared for areas of eastern Montana.

With power outages and road closures, visibilities also dropped to around zero for a good chunk of the 24th and early on the 25th.

Some areas even reported drifts of 6 to 10 feet high!

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Montana Ice Jam Awareness Day is January 21st.

In this week's weather wise, we look into how dangerous ice jams are for the state and how they form.

 National Weather Service Warning Cooordination Meteorologist Ben Schott says, "we see more ice jams in Montana than any other state... and another thing that's interesting is there's been more deaths due to ice jam flooding than any other state in the U.S. including Alaska."

He also says it's that time of year where ice jams become typical... February and March.

"We tend to have those periods with freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw and that's one way we create ice jams easily across the state."

The recent warm spell gave proof of that.

One area affected by a major ice jam is the Gallatin River in Gallatin County.

Flood warnings remain in effect as water levels continue to rise along with reports of flooding.

As in the case of the Gallatin River, ice jams act like dams, allowing water to quickly back up... the downside is that once the jam breaks, flash flooding can occur downstream.

Historically, ice events have been reported on 163 different streams and rivers in 199 different locations in Montana.

Several different ice forms are found in ice-jams ranging from frazil to columnar... and all can be a problem.

For more information on ice jam awareness, visit the Great Falls National Weather Service website at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/ tfx/ and click on the ice jam awareness link.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Avalanche danger has been high recently due to temperature fluctuations and heavy snowfall...

In this week's weather wise, we talk to the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center to pinpoint the danger.

We've seen a decent amount of snowfall early this season, but the fairly consistent cold weather from December and January, among other factors, is now undermining the stability of the snow.

Director of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center Doug Chabot says, "What that cold weather did was make all the snow on the ground weak and unstable and so now we're getting some snowfall and it's creating a lot of avalanches."

And the unfortunate outcome of avalanches: deaths and injuries.

So far 2 have been killed in Montana avalanches this season.

Chabot says in order for avalanches to occur, you need 4 things.

"We need a steep slope, we need a trigger, typically a human trigger, we need a weak layer which we have plenty of from that cold weather in December and then we need a slab of snow."

Chabot says if headed into the backcountry, go with a partner.

Only expose one person at a time on a slope and carry rescue gear including a transceiver, a shovel and a probe.

Chabot stresses that people need to be aware of the high instability right now... which could stick around.

"The instability that we have right now is going to last for awhile.  It's going to stick around for weeks or possibly a month."

So heads up winter enthusiasts.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

You may have heard of the weather phenomena referred to as a sun dog... But what is it and how does it form?

That's the topic of this week's weather wise.

Sun dogs...it's the optical phenomena we see up in the sky, mainly during the winter months when it's really cold.

But how in the world does that happen?

The answer is pretty simple, actually.

First and foremost, it has to be very cold... we're talking freezing or even colder.

What happens is light from the sun moves through ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Those light crystals can be clouds, frozen fog or even frozen water vapor in the air.

The light is reflected and refracted through the air creating two beams of light on the side of the sun... often forming a circle or a halo and often rainbow-like.

Sun dogs can be seen anywhere in the world when the conditions are right.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2010 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Even though it's felt like winter for awhile now, the 21st is the official first day.

It's the shortest day of year when the earth is tilted the furthest away from the sun for the northern hemisphere.

The sun's verticle rays are hitting at 23 and 1/2 degrees south latitude or the Tropic of Capricorn, making it the longest day of the year for the southern hemisphere... or the first day of summer!

So, the further south you go Monday, the more daylight there will be.

And whether we like it or not, it's what happens every year!  Here's what some Helenans had to say!

"My favorite thing about winter is frozen water and my least favorite thing is water in the winter time! It shouldn't be water!"

"My favorite part would be going to palm springs!"

"My least favorite thing about winter is the condition of the roads for driving."

"My least favorite is below zero weather and my most favorite is being able to go skiing!"

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Doesn't matter where you live in Montana... chances are you saw snow this weekend at some point... and some, more than others!

We'll recap the storm in this week's weather wise.

For some reason, once we hit December this year, winter moved in and hasn't let up...

Coming off a major snowstorm and arctic blast just last weekend, we were met with another beginning early Saturday afternoon... since then, the snow and cold has been relentless.

The National Weather Service says that's because we had a parade of storms without a break between them.

Some impressive totals come from Swan Lake where they saw 20 inches total in 48 hours.

Stanford picked up 9 inches.

A little more than a foot near Lincoln and Neihart.

And Helena and Great Falls around five inches.

Of course, we saw another blast of arctic air.

Several locations saw temps once again well below zero for both highs and lows.

Just Sunday Martinsdale reached a record low of -10.

And Gold Butte had a record cool maximum for the day of just -15!

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Winter doesn't officially arrive until December 21st, but it sure feels like we're smack dab in the middle of it with these piercingly cold temperatures!

We'll take a look at vitally important info on wind chill in this week's weather wise.

_____

We've heard the term before... wind chill.

And what that is is how cold the air feels to exposed skin.

As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down skin temperature and eventually the internal body temperature.

Therefore, the wind makes it feel much colder than it actually is.

Wind chill is calculated by a specific formula where the variables are temperature and windspeed.

Notice when the temp is subzero, it barely takes any wind to create dangerously low wind chill values.

With normal wind chills, frostbite can occur within 30 mintues... and with what we're experiencing, within 10 to 15 minutes.

To prevent frostbite as well as hypothermia, the best advice is to stay warm and dry indoors.

If you must go outside, dress in loose-fitting, light weight layers... the trapped air in between them is what will keep you insulated.

You'll need to remove layers to avoid sweating, again, preventing further chill and hypothermia.

And cover exposed skin to protect against frost bite.

Besides gloves, scarfs and boots, don't forget a hat since at least 50 percent of our body heat escapes from our heads!

In this kind of weather, fashion faux pauxs go out the door!

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

It's that time of year when ski resorts are turning on their lifts and opening up their ticket lines...

In this week's weather wise, we look at who's open and how the weather is affecting some opening dates.

___

November is typically a fairly dry month, even so, it's the time of year ski resorts open up.

And just like last year, this November has proved to be a little too warm for a good snow start to the 2009-2010 ski season.

Meteorologist with the National Weather Service Ben Schott says, "precip wise, things have been quite poor... The biggest areas that've seen the most snowfall have been in southwest Montana and some in the higher elevations west of the divide."

And that has made for decent opening dates for some ski areas like Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, and even Great Divide.

Other resorts, like Showdown & Whitefish Mountain, are opening in December.

Of course, depending on whether or not more snow falls, some opening dates may be pushed back.

Schott continues, "even though some places have seen a decent amount of snow, November has been a very rough start for a lot of places across the state when it comes to skiing and snowfall amounts because most of the weather systems have dodged us to the south or went off further to the north... we've been kind of sitting here high and dry for most of the month."

For all of us skiers and snowboarders, let's hope that changes.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Well, there's rain, snow, and then there's that in between stuff...

In this week's weather wise, we learn all about how sleet and freezing rain form.

 Both rain and snow can be dangerous... but sleet or even freezing rain could arguably be the most dangerous forms of precipitation.

They cause numerous power outages as well as accidents from slippery roadways across the nation, mainly during winter months.

And here's how it happens:

As you move up in the atmoshpere, air gets colder.

All precipitation in the middle latitudes, or the continental U.S., begins as snow first due to colder temperatures at higher altitudes, then melts or remains snow on the way down depending on the temperature of air it's traveling through.

Meteorologist Ben Schott with the National Weather Service says, "as that melted snowflake then leaves that warm air above and drops down, it refreezes into sleet - into a hard little ice pellet."

Freezing rain or glaze is a little different... super-cooled droplets don't refreeze in the bottom layer, but freeze upon contact with the ground or other objects.

One of the worst ice storms in history hit southeastern Canada and the New England area in January of 1998.

The nearly five day storm was blamed for at least 25 deaths as it caused damage in excess of one billion dollars.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists, this winter we're talking "el nino".

We'll tell you what that means for us is in this week's weather wise.

El nino.

Chart Courtesy of NOAA

Temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean (above). El Niño is characterized by warm temperatures (red), and La Niña is characterized by are cooler temperatures (blue) in the Eastern Pacific. Anomalies (below) are the variation above or below average values.

We've heard the term before, but what does it really mean?

Jesse Aber with DNRC Water Resources explains, "how el nino occurs is we see a failure in the easterly surface winds in the equitorial Pacific to hold to warm water back towards the Indo-pacific and so that warm water is allowed to migrate to the east."

That warming of ocean on a large scale creates a pattern over time that can lead to warmer, drier winters.

Meteorologist with the National Weather Service Ben Schott says, "a lot of times for us here in the U.S. it actually drives the jet stream further north than what we usually see in the winter and so as that tends to move across Canada and say north of our area, most of the U.S. tends to be fairly dry if not a little bit warmer."

Just because this is the predicted "overall" climate pattern for the winter, doesn't mean we won't see normal "Montana" weather.

There will still be arctic air blasts, major snowstorms and even chinooks.

The last el nino from mid-2006 into mid-2007 was classified as weak to moderate.

This winter's is being labled moderate to strong.

Next spring, when we look back at all the statistics, we will most likely see we had warmer than average temps and a smaller snowpack... Which, in turn, creates fire concerns for next year.

And, that will be something to take a look at in the future.

The typical el nino or la nina cycle (which is cooler and wetter) Is 2 to 5 years with most lasting around 18 months.

If you'd like any other information, Aber suggests visiting www.drought.mt.us.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Gardening might not be on our minds right now, but now is a great time to get next year's gardens ready… what we can do is in this week's weather wise.

Valley Farms owner and avid gardener Dennis Flynn says,  "October is typically one of the best planting months and early November is a great time to plant trees because they're completely dormant.  Very little stress and they take off in the spring almost immediately."     

He says this time of year, people forget there's things they can do with their gardens as their mindsets change over to winter.

"Well, the first thing we always recommend for this time of year especially after a hard freeze is cut back all their herbaceous perennials and those are the perennials like your yarrows and your Cullen flowers."

Also, now's a good time to cut back some of those shrubs with the old hedge trimmer.

Not many know that it's an important time to also begin planting those spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils.

Flynn continues, "it's that fall planting, the cold period and then the spring thaw and warming up that activates the flowering response."

Flynn recommends layering your garden with a half an inch to an inch of compost... Not only does it provide good nutrients for next year, but it prevents hard frost damage.

"It's a good time to start pruning anything in the rose family, that includes flowering trees... apples, plum, cherry, birch and maple... it's a good time now to prune those.  All your evergreens... pretty much all the rest of the trees can be pruned now."

So, lots of information... And even though it might be a lot of work now... just think of how much you won't have to do next spring!

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

I hope everyone enjoyed that extra hour of sleep Sunday morning thanks to the end of daylight saving time this weekend!

In this week's weather wise, we find out why we make the switch.

Daylight saving time or DST is the practice of turning the clocks ahead as warmer weather approaches and as we saw this weekend, back as it becomes colder.

Originally proposed by Benjamin Franklin, it was seen as a way of increasing productivity.

Today, approximately 70 countries utilize d-s-t in at least a portion of their country.

As of march 11, 2007, clocks spring ahead an hour on the second Sunday in March and fall back on the first Sunday in November.

The reason behind the change was that it would decrease the need for artificial light sources and, as a result, save some energy.

Artificially delaying the sunrise and sunset tends to increase electricity usage in the morning and reduce it in the evening when more people are home.

Savings occur if the evening reduction outweighs the morning increase.

DST varies from country to country.

Japan, India, and china are the only major industrialized countries that do not observe some form of daylight savings and Arizona and Hawaii are the only states in the U.S. that don't either.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In this week’s Weather Wise, we take a look at what that's done to our would-be fall foliage.

______________________

The autumn season... green leaves of deciduous trees turn to beautiful, vibrant colors all because of the loss of chlorophyll.

Owner of Valley Farms Dennis Flynn says, "normally, you see fall color when it's a combination of short days and then cooling temps, but unfortunately the way things are happening now this weekend the trees will probably abort all of their leaves this weekend."

Flynn continues that the sudden plunge into winter-like temperatures is the cause.

"The trees are basically just going to freeze hard and the leaves will probably just drop off or what leaves are left on will turn brown."

Normally in the fall, chlorophyll production ceases primarily due to diminishing sunlight as the days grow shorter.

And then, the leaves turn color... but this year, the early cold snap we saw prohibited that from happening.

Because of the cold weather, Flynn and the rest of the crew at Valley Farms even had to bring in perennials and other trees and covered up some shrubs.

Typically, the appearance of fall color varies greatly depending on the elevation.

Flynn says if you can travel, Glacier National Park has the best.

So hopefully you got to head out earlier this season to snap your pictures, because it looks like our fall foliage is done for the year.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Even though Winter Weather Awareness Week takes place officially before Thanksgiving, the October 4th storm is a reminder to be prepared for winter weather at anytime.

That's in this week's weather wise.

  Cold weather exposure and automobile accidents are the main causes of winter weather related deaths, in eastern Montana especially.

Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Paul Spengler says, as we saw this weekend, winter weather can appear nearly anytime, so be prepared.

"The weather service has reminded me that every month somewhere in Montana it snows.  So, the higher you go, obviously, the more you've got to be prepared."

Other tips: Have a fresh supply of batteries, flashlights, matches and a battery powered radio or TV handy.

Also, use extreme caution if you're using oil stoves, grills or fireplaces for cooking or heating as carbon monoxide poisoning could become an issue.

If you must drive in an emergency, your vehicle should be winterized, and have a full tank of gas to help prevent freezing gas lines.

And always stay with your vehicle.

Spengler stresses, however, driving during severe winter weather is not recommended

"So, when we say don't drive because of the hazardous driving conditions because of ice and snow, that's to be taken seriously."

So, even though we're only about two weeks into the autumn season, now's a good time to start preparing for winter.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

After our recent warm stretch of weather, many of us might be wondering if what we've experienced is called "Indian Summer"...

Well, that's in this week's Weather Wise.

We have seen several above average days over the last month... But are we having what is known as an indian summer?

National Weather Service Meteorologist Ben Schott says, "even though it kinda seemed like that with it being so warm, so late into September, it wouldn't qualify though, unfortunately as an Indian Summer.  Usually, it has to be after the first frost and after the leaves start to change."        

According to Schott, the term dates back to at least the late 1770s, but who coined it isn't certain.

What he does know is that it's fairly common for our area and happens just about every year, sometimes more than once.    

"Though we may not reach fully into the 70s portion of it, it's pretty typical at least for us in central Montana to get that nice cool shot and then to have a really nice period of warmth after for awhile."

So, even though the summer-like weather we've been holding onto isn't called Indian Summer weather, chances are, we'll see it eventually.

"I think we're getting to the point now we've started to notice some of the leaves changing and the mornings getting a little cooler - I even had frost at my house this morning, so I think the next time we get an extended period where we push into the 70s, I think we'll definitely qualify for what would be known as Indian Summer."

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 It's a rare meteorological phenomenon that is most commonly observed in northern Australia.

In this week's Weather Wise, we learn all about the morning glory cloud.

_____________

The morning glory cloud is quite a sight.

Not many scientists are sure how or why it occurs though, but it does show up every spring like clockwork near the Gulf of Carpentaria.

There are theories, however.

According to the National Weather Service, the long, horizontal, circulating tubes of air might form when flowing, moist, cooling air encounters an inversion layer, an atmospheric layer in which where the temperature increases with height instead of cooling.

In the front of the cloud, there's a strong vertical motion that moves the air up through the cloud which creates the rolling appearance.

Another thought has to do with dueling sea breezes across the gulf.

cloud forms during the morning and usually burns off by daytime heating

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Nationwide, September marks Preparedness Month.

In this week's Weather Wise, we discuss how to prepare for a possible emergency situation.

______________________________________

According to ready dot gov, there are three steps in preparing you and your family for a possible emergency.

Get a kit, get a plan and be informed.

National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Ben Schott says, "the big thing with this month is to get people aware of the hazards around them and to get them thinking about the things they can do to mitigate those hazards.”

That way, if it's a manmade or natural hazard, you'll be prepared.

And of course, weather plays a big role in possible hazards... we could see a major snowstorm, wildfire, or other severe weather that could take power away, maybe even affecting driving conditions.

In that case, if you have your kit and plan, you're ahead of the game.

Schott says, "something simple that doesn't take much time... 15 to 30 minutes can make life much, much easier in event one of these unfortunate events or natural hazards."

Schott says you should have one gallon of water per person per day as well as food, a radio and some batteries among other things. 

"The other things, on a side note, medications are key.  If you have pets, having things prepared for them, a little extra food and such to take care of your pets."

For more information on preparing for emergencies including a simple check list, visit ready.gov

And now you’re a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Even though Winter Weather Awareness Week takes place officially around Thanksgiving, the storm from October 4th is a reminder to be prepared for winter weather at anytime.

That's in this week's Weather Wise.

__________________

Cold weather exposure and automobile accidents are the main causes of winter weather related deaths, in eastern Montana especially.

Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Paul Spengler says, as we saw this weekend, winter weather can appear nearly anytime, so be prepared.

"The weather service has reminded me that every month somewhere in Montana it snows.  So, the higher you go, obviously, the more you've got to be prepared."

Other tips: have a fresh supply of batteries, flashlights, matches and a battery powered radio or tv handy.

Also, use extreme caution if you're using oil stoves, grills or fireplaces for cooking or heating as carbon monoxide poisoning could become an issue.

If you must drive in an emergency, your vehicle should be winterized, and have a full tank of gas to help prevent freezing gas lines.

And always stay with your vehicle.

Spengler stresses, however, driving during severe winter weather is not recommended.

"When we say don't drive because of the hazardous driving conditions because of ice and snow, that's to be taken seriously."

So, even though we're only about two weeks into the autumn season, now's a good time to start preparing for winter.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  With hurricane season already in full force,     you might wonder how and why certain names are chosen?

We'll find out in this week's weather wise.

____________________________________________

According to the National Hurricane Center, since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the organization.     

The original name lists featured only women's names.

In 1979, men's names were introduced and they alternate with the women's names.

Six lists are used in rotation... so the 2009 list will be used again in 2015.

Here are some of the Atlantic hurricane names for the season including some that have already happened like Danny just last week.

In the future, we might be hearing about Fred or Kate or even Rose.

2009 Atlantic Names: Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Joaquin, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor, Wanda

Taking a look at some of the Pacific names for the season, we also see some we've already heard from like the unusual hurricane Felicia that made it's way to the Hawaiian islands.

2009 Eastern Pacific Names: Andres, Blanca, Carlos, Dolores, Enrique, Felicia, Guillermo, Hilda, Ignacio, Jimena, Kevin, Linda, Marty, Nora, Olaf, Patricia, Rick, Sandra, Terry, Vivian, Waldo, Xina, York, Zelda

Right now, category 4 Hurricane Jimena looks to move up the entire Baja peninsula by this weekend... weakening considerably by the time it reaches the U.S.

And sometimes all of the names allotted for the season end up being used... In that case, and for the first time in 2005, the alternate Greek alphabet scheme for naming storms has to be employed.

And now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 Maybe not this week, but recently we've seen a lot of warm weather!

In this week’s weather wise, we'll talk about some health related issues those very warm temperatures can cause.

_________

Summer is here and in Montana, we all know it can get very hot and dry.

And that can cause some heat related illnesses... and fortunately, they can be avoided.

Physician Assistant Steven Ziegler says heat exhaustion is most common with profuse sweating, pale skin, headaches, and vomiting major signs, but there's something even worse out there...

Ziegler says, "heat stroke is complete failure of the body to regulate heat and that can be life threatening.  It can happen to anybody but is more common in the very young and older persons as well especially people that have some other medical conditions especially heart conditions"

Ziegler suggests overall staying hydrated when it's hot outside avoiding alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.

"Also, good, loose fitting clothing, hat, sunscreen and the best thing is to just get out of the heat into a cool environment."

And plan ahead!  If it's going to be hot, maybe plan a day at the mall or take in a movie... either way, don't forget to stay hydrated while you enjoy summer.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

You might be surprised to find out just how hot a car can get sitting in the summer sun… and it can happen in the span of just minutes.

In this week's Weather Wise, we check some numbers and how you can avoid a potentially deadly situation.

_________

Summer does have it's perks... Being outdoors, playing in the water and of course, no school... however, heat stroke and exhaustion can be sad downsides of the season... even more unfortunate are vehicle related heat deaths, because these are fatal statistics that can be avoided with some fore-thought.

According to the weather channel, since 1998, at least 422 infants and children have died of heat-related deaths in vehicles across the country.

Let's take a look at some numbers...within 20 minutes of sitting at a constant 90 degrees with the windows closed, a car's internal temperature can reach 120 degrees fahrenheit.

Within 90 minutes, 138 degrees... that's 48 degrees greater than the outside temperature.

And, opening the windows just a tiny crack doesn't really help.

To avoid a potentially deadly situation, first and foremost, do not leave kids or dogs in your car.

If your pet or child can't come with you, leave them at home.

Also, warn your kids about playing inside cars without supervision.

It's important to know that it doesn't have to be hot in order for your car to turn into a deadly oven.

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Memorial Day is not only a time to remember those who have fallen in the line of duty... it also signals the unofficial change in seasons.

That's in this week's Weather Wise.

____________

The sights and sounds of Memorial Day can be solemn... but to some folks, it's a day full of fun, outdoor activities... and hopefully a little sun!

That's because Memorial Day unofficially kicks off the summer season... which doesn't officially begin for a few more weeks on June 21st.

Calendar or not, it's the state of mind that really counts.

Many people have a three day weekend for the holiday, too... making sort of a mini vacation.

The time is used camping, boating, picnic-ing and anything else you can think of that would be fun outdoors... when it's nice.

One of the longest-standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500 which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.      

So, if today's the unofficial first day of summer, and Labor Day is the unofficial end... that means we have almost 3 and a half months of those fun, summer activities.

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Many of you may be wondering just what the major snowstorm at the end of April has done for our snowpack...

Well, in this week's weather wise, we find out.

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With record amounts of snowfall across parts of central and north central Montana from late April, no doubt our snowpack levels are high... right?

Actually, with all that snow, we are very close to average.

In fact, statewide, mountain snow water contents were 110 percent of average and 89 percent of those on May 1st last year.

Data Collections Specialist with NRCS Scott Oviatt says, "we were relatively dry early in the winter as most folks would know and be able to relate to and this storm did bring substantial amounts of moisture in snow/water content, but it just brought it to near normal conditions for the most part."

Snowpack in the Columbia River Basin was 102 percent of average and 76 percent of last year... And the Missouri River Basin 116 percent of average and 100 percent of last year.

Even though those numbers sound good... Oviatt says if we hope to count on adequate snowpack levels, we'll need normal rainfall amounts and near normal temperatures.

If temps warm up too rapidly, that snowpack will melt far too quickly.

"Right now we have to be cautiously optimistic because we have near normal conditions pretty much statewide but we just hope that we don't get those warm temps here."

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Last week's spring storm is still fresh in our minds... even though most of it has already melted away...

In this week's Weather Wise, some numbers from that record breaking storm.

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We owe Mother Nature a big pat on the back for all the moisture we got at the end of April - even though it wasn't easy for us to handle.

From April 27th to the 30th, a monster storm moved in from the Pacific Northwest.

The slow moving storm combined with cold, Canadian air allowed snow to fall in a strong upslope flow pattern along the rocky mountain front which maximized the amount of snow... blanketing the area in tons of it.

Choteau saw it's third snowiest season on record while getting nearly 19 inches of snow in this storm alone.

Great Falls broke daily snowfall records... two days in a row... ranking this season the second snowiest on record... and tied for the snowiest April on record with a storm total of 25.6 inches.

Other impressive totals came from Browning, measuring in at 2 feet of snow.

Badger Pass saw about 3 ½ feet and Saint Mary picked up 60 inches of the white stuff.

What's more, gusty conditions made for drifts as tall as two men along the northern rocky mountain front.

School closures, treacherous road conditions, and power outages were also major issues.

The silver lining to this storm, besides bumping up precip amounts for the region, skiers got one more chance to hit the slopes!

Great Divide Ski Resort opened up for it's first May ski-day ever.

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Sunday Surprise  

Heavy snow along with severe blowing and drifting put much of Montana in blizzard and winter storm conditions as a Sunday surprise.

In this week’s Weather Wise, Beartooth Forecaster Erin Yost recaps what happened.

March is living up to it's reputation as one of the snowiest months we see... Many areas across Montana saw several inches of snow on Sunday... And not just in the mountains!

Eight inches fell 3 miles southwest of Helena, Stanford picked up around 12 to 18 inches and Blue Sky Heights is reporting 8 to 10 inches making for 25 to 30 inches this March alone!

To make matters worse, gusty winds accompanied the system causing drifting snow... Up to 5 feet in certain locations.

Reduced visibilities and icy roadways caused numerous closures and treacherous driving conditions.

This storm has a silver lining, though... with ski season coming to an end, the plentiful precipitation brought skiers out in droves to hit the slopes.

Over the last 24 hours, Big Sky Ski Resort saw 15-18 inches and Discovery 25 inches... and just last night, Showdown picked up a foot.

Local ski resort Great Divide had power outages due to the heavy snowfall and had to shuttle skiers to the only diesel-operated lift.

Owner Kevin Taylor says 5 snowmobiles made nearly 2000 runs shuttling folks to that lift!

With 12 inches on Sunday and another 4 to 6 last night, he now plans to keep the resort open Wednesday’s and Thursday’s from noon to five while this good snow lasts.

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Steam Fog  

Have you ever noticed sometimes that even during a frigid day, the ground can look like it's steaming in the sun?

I’ll tell you what's happening in this week’s Weather Wise.

This is steam fog.

We've seen it recently after snowfall begins to melt, especially in areas where there is pavement.

And what's happening is known as evaporation... It's the

... In this case, converting to a visible form of water vapor that we call fog.

This is most efficient at warmer temperatures, but as we've seen lately, this evaporative transformation can happen at any temperature.

During the summer months, it isn't noticeable on ground surfaces, but it can be seen over lakes, ponds or streams... When colder air drifts over warmer waters.

We're seeing the same thing happen... The sun is heating up the asphalt or ground surface and the air above it is colder making it appear like the ground is smoking.

In some cases, this fog can freeze... Then it's known as ice or frost fog.

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The C.A.N.L. System

The National Weather Service in Glasgow and the Universities of Miami and Delaware are developing a weather index for cattle ranchers. In this week's weather wise, we look at the C.A.N.L. (can-l) system.

C.A.N.L. stands for cold advisory for newborn livestock. It's been developed to warn about weather conditions that could be dangerous for the newborn livestock.

N.W.S. warning coordination meteorologist Tanja Franken says it's based on research and feedback from the northeastern Montana ranching community. "They really had problems when the wind chill was extreme and when we were getting precipitation on top of it."  

While calving usually occurs in march or april, it also happens during the heart of the winter season and calves that are less than 24 hours old are least able to regulate their body temperature and therefore more vulnerable to the cold.

Fransen says livestock loss is serious and much too common. "If we looked at everything all together over a typical winter, it could be anywhere from 5 to 10 million dollars in direct losses and maybe an additional 3 to 5 million in indirect losses due to weather."  While the C.A.N.L. system is being used in northeast Montana, it also can be effective state-wide, even in North Dakota and South Dakota.   For information on this experimental program, you can visit www.weather.gov/glasgow .   

Graphics and NOAA radio information on C.A.N.L. will be available for ranchers from mid January through the end of May.

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Snowpack

So far this winter, Montana has been riding a temperature and precipitation roller coaster. In this week's weather wise, I'll let you know what kind of toll that's taking on our snowpack.

Water supply specialist Roy Kaiser said "the season started out a little slow in the fall, December was a good month for us and January was not too bad."  And so far this February, statewide, we're seeing slightly below average snowpack levels. Kaiser went on to say, "the northwest part of the state is doing the worst compared to the average end of last year."

Surprisingly enough, recent warm temperatures haven't done too much to the snowpack... currently; the state's mountain snow water contents are 93 percent of average and 91 percent of last year. Although it varies across the state, Kaiser says we still have time to rebound our numbers. "You know, it's not too bad at this point.  assuming we're going to get back into some storm patterns where we get some good snowpack. If we have average precipitation we can continue to hover around average and then hopefully - we always look to the spring for our rains to help supplement the snowpack." Kaiser says snowpack for Montana on average produces about 70% of our surface waters.

Kaiser said, "into the mountains is actually a good storage - it's water in the bank - and you can do planning from that and if we have a good year going in with our snowpack, then we don't have to rely so heavily on our rainfall."

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

Copyright ©2009 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Ice Jamming

With the bitterly cold, sub-zero temperatures we've been experiencing lately, parts of Montana are experiencing Ice Jamming .

In this week's weather wise we'll take a look at what exactly Ice Jamming is and how and why it forms.

Ice Jamming is something that typically happens here in Montana during February and March. The state sees the highest number of reported ice jams in the lower 48 states.

According to the National Weather Service, jams typically form as ice accumulates usually around bends in the rivers or bridge supports. Water can quickly back up behind the jam causing localized flooding.

Jams can release very quickly, and flash flooding is often occurs as the water stored behind the ice jam rushes downstream.

These ice events have been reported in Montana on 163 different streams and rivers and 199 different locations.

There are several different ice forms found in ice-jams ranging from Frazil to Columnar and all can become a problem.
Frazil Formation	Columnar Formation

This weekend (December 20 & 21), an ice-jam flood advisory was issued along Warm Spring’s Creek near Anaconda .What they experienced was a freeze-up jam.

Those occur when prolonged sub-freezing weather, like we've been experiencing, allows an ice cover to develop on a river or stream and build up, usually in early to mid-winter.

Break-up jams, on the other hand, occur when the freezing weather is followed by significant warming, allowing the ice to break free and flow downstream usually in the spring.

Now you're a little more Weather Wise.

Story by Weathercaster Erin Yost, Beartooth NBC.

©2008 Beartooth Communications Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.