Expected extreme heat wave temperatures

[Nesikep]

The Governor just declared all of Montana a drought disaster area. Northeast Montana, ND, and southern Saskatchewan are in the worst drought in over 30 years . We only received .29 inches of rain all of June (which is normally our wettest month) . Only have received 2.8 inches of rain since January 1 (normal is 7.5 inches ) after an open winter with little snow. And temps have been way above normal- constant temps of near or above 100. 101 yesterday- 102 today with a constant 20 - 40 mph wind sucking the earth dry. Waterholes in many pastures are dry- and grass never came. Most in this area getting very little quantity on dryland hay (some said they will not even start their swather's this year) - and the irrigated fields may only have 1 cutting as the irrigation water (out of Milk River) has ran out. The stockyards that normally goes to every other week sales is staying on regular schedule because of so many cattle being sold out. And with hay priced at over $200 a T (some horse quality selling for $320) some are doing total dispersals. We are going to end up selling at least a quarter of our registered cows while trying to keep all of the genetics alive.

I had hoped to never see this again in my lifetime !

Good to hear from you again, though I wish the conditions were better.

We've been super dry too, and with this early heat wave I think our creek is going to run close to dry by mid august which might really affect my fall grazing.. we haven't had any rain to speak of since we thawed out either, couple little splashes that didnt' wet the dust more than 1/4 in down, I took a drive yesterday a little ways up the mountain, with the heat we had all the trees are brown on the side toward the road where there was reflected heat.. didn't matter which type of tree, saskatoons, cottonwoods, firs and pines were all the same. Gonna be a rough year for wildlife, especially the bears, they're gonna be a #$%# pest

We're still under evacuation orders here, though conditions for firefighting are much better now, winds have died down, temps are in the mid 80's to low 90's... got a lot of ash falling here, smoke is pretty thick

 

[wbvs58]

Sorry to here that Oldtimer. I can relate to that as we are not long out of one of our worst droughts since settlement, ironically we are experiencing the wettest winter since I have been on the place about 15 years.

Ken

 

[Caustic Burno]

It sucks but it's part of the game we play unfortunately.
Sold off 70% of mine in 2011 drought. Forget how many states that got think it went from Texas to Missouri.
A lot of people got out in 11 here and never got back in, so much so we lost a salebarn.

 

[Oldtimer]

Sorry to here that Oldtimer. I can relate to that as we are not long out of one of our worst droughts since settlement, ironically we are experiencing the wettest winter since I have been on the place about 15 years.

Ken

Yep- it always seems when one gets too little- others get too much ! On top of the drought- now the Grasshoppers have moved in eating everything green they find- and what the don't get the Blister Beetles are here this year too. What's bad about them is if they don't eat the hay/alfalfa they contaminate it and make it poisonous to livestock and especially horses. First year I've ever seen them.
I'm definitely not the only one in this boat- as the heat and drought covers much of the western US.

Drought Monitor July 1, 2021

This week’s U.S. Drought Monitor saw changes to over 30 states this week. Unprecedented heat in the Northwest, combined with another week of dry weather, led to worsening drought conditions

www.wlj.net

 

[D2Cat]

As I read this thread I realize how fortunate we are. No rain in the last 3 days, but before that we had 9" in a week. High temps for the next week about 88. Yard still too wet to mow.

 

[Mrcopier]

I feel so sorry for you folks having to deal with this. Our prayers go out to you all. We've been there done that and it is heart breaking to say the least

 

[Nesikep]

We just had another fire break out last night 20 miles south of me, couple farmers I know down there and the fire crews worked all night and got it out thankfully
weather has been pretty cooperative thank god

 

[wbvs58]

Well at least they are burning a bit of a firebreak around you Nesi, take care.

Ken

 

[Nesikep]

Well at least they are burning a bit of a firebreak around you Nesi, take care.

Ken

their track records with back-burns is not good.. couple years ago the back burns were responsible for a fire repeatedly going out of control.. 400,000 hectares burnt in that one fire