A storm system that has been grinding through Montana for several days finally began clearing Tuesday, but not before dropping widely variable rainfall totals across the state. Some areas picked up inches of rain while others saw little to nothing, a pattern consistent with slow-moving convective systems that interact unevenly with Montana's terrain.
North-central Montana bore the heaviest impact, which is why the National Weather Service in Great Falls issued a Flood Watch for parts of that region Monday morning, covering areas including Glacier, Pondera, Toole, and Teton counties through midday. The combination of already-saturated ground and additional rainfall was enough to keep flooding possible even as the system weakened.
For Helena, Tuesday was expected to bring partly to mostly sunny skies, cooler temperatures, and breezy conditions — a welcome break after a stretch of unsettled weather. Residents heading north toward Great Falls or the Front should expect wet roads and potentially high creek and river levels through at least the middle of the week.