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02/09/2025
Unseasonable temperatures not great for ski hill, forecast a dry summer
Helena is experiencing above-average temperatures this winter, sparking concerns about a dry summer and hindering the local ski area.
Last week, Helena area residents enjoyed warmer, sunnier days, with temperatures peaking at nearly 60 degrees, according to a National Weather Service report.
The mid-winter weather is “well above normal” with an average high temperature of 52.3 degrees and an average low of 30 degrees so far in February, National Weather Service Meteorologist Amanda Wilson told Montana Free Press. Temperatures are recorded at the Helena Regional Airport.
Last year, Helena was about 30 degrees colder.
“ We actually had a pretty cool February last year,” Wilson said. “[It] looked like the average max temperature for the Helena airport was 24.1 degrees, and then the average minimum temperature was 6.3 degrees.”
February’s typical highs in 2024 and 2023 hovered in the 30s, still way cooler than what residents have basked in this year, Wilson added. This week, high temperatures are expected to hover in the 40s.
Helena’s snowfall has also been limited so far this winter, with virtually no snow on the ground in the city and valley areas and only 0.02 inches recorded in the last month.
Wilson said that a small snowpack can lead to dangerous weather this summer, increasing the risk of grass and wildfires.
Another impact, Wilson said, was a “not so great” ski season, which was somewhat reflected at the Great Divide Ski Area near Marysville, about 23 miles northwest of Helena.
Great Divide General Manager Travis Crawford told MTFP that while the area’s snowpack is only about half of what it usually is, most of the mountain is open. Still, getting people to come to the hill is another challenge posed by the warm weather, Crawford said.
“ Our biggest issue is when there is no snow down in Helena or the valley or kind of those surrounding South Hills areas, people just don’t think skiing,” Crawford said. “They’re thinking mountain biking and hiking and fishing, and all those. So currently we are down about 50% of our skier visits for this time of year.”
The fewer people who come to ski, the less revenue the ski area generates during its season, which, Crawford said, affects its staffing and what long-term improvements the area can fund.
“It is looking like this summer, we’ll probably pull back a little bit and focus more on essential maintenance activities and less of the elective projects,” Crawford said.
Great Divide provides daily weather updates and a live camera on its website and social media pages for those checking the conditions, features that Crawford encouraged skiers to use.
Public Notice
Helena Public Schools will host a meeting Thursday, Feb. 19, to share designs for the district’s “reimagined” Helena High campus. Architects contracted with the district will present floor plans for the new school, the new alternative high school and district athletics facilities, followed by a Q&A session. The meeting, scheduled for the existing HHS “Little Theater” from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., is the latest update on three new school facilities, which voters approved in a $283 million bond last fall.
5 Things to Know in Helena
During a joint city-county commission meeting last week, city and county staff presented an update on green waste diversion and recycling. While both the city and the county fund the recycling program, the city has managed all Lewis and Clark County solid waste operations since 2015. City public works director Ryan Leland said residents haul about 6,000 tons of green waste — organic debris such as yard clippings, branches, leaves and other tree trimmings — to the transfer station each year. Implementing curbside green waste collection and composting over five years could divert 4,000 tons from the landfill each year, Leland said. He also recommended that the city and county upgrade their composting system to speed up decomposition, cutting the timeline to between 60 and 90 days from six months to a year. No official action was taken.
The U.S. Forest Service and the Nature Conservancy conducted a prescribed burn of about 1,000 acres in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest last week. The mild weather allowed for burns in the targeted areas south of York in the Big Belt Mountains, where smoke and fire could be seen from the Helena Valley, Canyon Ferry and York. Prescribed burns help reduce wildfire risks by eliminating overgrown vegetation in heavily wooded areas, according to the Forest Service.
The city of Helena is promoting ways for residents to celebrate Valentine’s Day more sustainably. The city, sharing tips on its social media page, suggested making handmade gifts rather than store-bought items, participating in experiences such as live shows, visiting the Montana Heritage Center, or booking dancing or cooking lessons. Instead of buying cut flowers, another tip is to give flowering plants or paper or wooden flowers.
Capital High School student Byron Lloyd was named the Montana Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) member of the year. DECA is a national organization that encourages high school and college students to develop careers in marketing, finance and management. The award was presented during the Montana DECA State Career Development Conference held in Missoula last week. The award recognized Lloyd’s performance and dedication to the Montana chapter, according to Capital High’s social media post congratulating him.
A Helena Public School District teacher was named as the Montana recipient of a national education award, according to a KTVH story last week. Jefferson Elementary’s Kellen Alger received the 2026 National Education Association Foundation Travelers Award for teaching excellence and will represent Montana in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Feb. 13.
In Case You Missed It
Last Monday, MTFP published a story about a Helena trailer court whose residents are struggling with significant rent increases. Golden Estates Mobile Home Park was sold to new ownership last year, and the residents contend that maintenance issues have been neglected while the rent has nearly doubled. MTFP reporter Mara Silvers, photographer Lauren Miller, and I reported on residents’ concerns, what renters legally can do and the reality of renter protections in Montana. Read the full story here.
Might Be Fun
The Jester Bar will host a “Heartbreaker’s Ball” beginning the evening of Friday, Feb. 13, and ending in the early hours of Valentine’s Day. The event will feature live music from local DJs, The Fox Den.
The Rialto Bar will host a speed-dating event Feb. 12, as part of its “F Your Phone February” theme. The event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $25 and include one drink and can be purchased at Ten Mile Creek Brewery.