As of Tuesday, March 9, 2021, Montana reports 101,093 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 143 new cases reported in the last day: 24 in Yellowstone County, 19 in Gallatin County, 16 in Cascade County, 14 in Lewis & Clark County, 13 in Ravalli County, 11 in Missoula County, and more new cases in 21 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,468. Currently, 58 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone, Flathead, and Gallatin Counties. 1,385 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Four more deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 525,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 29,100,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

A massive cold air outbreak over the central US in early February set hundreds of cold temperature records, stretching the power grid in Texas and leaving millions without power. That was in 2011, when a moderate La Niña weather pattern and an active jet stream generated the scenario that’s almost identical to what we’ve experienced so far in 2021. The weather events that followed 2011’s extreme cold snap now have meteorologists concerned that the US could be in for above-normal tornado activity this spring. The past few months have seen the strongest La Niña signal since the winter of 2010-2011. So, the question is whether this spring continues to mirror that year. During La Niña, stronger temperature differences tend to develop between hot and humid air in the southern US and cooler, drier air to the north. This sets up a faster jet stream that can drive severe weather outbreaks.

The Gallatin County Planning Department has approved a floodplain permit for NorthWestern Energy to place a natural gas pipeline under the Gallatin River as part of a larger project to construct a vacation rental destination, the Riverbend Glamping Resort, on an island in Gallatin Gateway. NorthWestern Energy plans to place a two-inch pipeline 10 to 15 feet below the riverbed about 225 feet downstream of the Mill Street bridge, according to the permit, which was issued on Friday. In its permit application, NorthWestern outlined measures it will take to minimize the environmental impact of the project, including boring the pipeline deep enough to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement and completing construction in the winter and early spring to limit impacts on flooding. NorthWestern also said there is little likelihood of natural gas entering the river because natural gas has low solubility, so if it leaked, it would escape into the atmosphere. The company wrote in its application, “The main concern with natural gas is explosion potential. In elevated concentrations it can escape quickly from water, causing an explosive hazard in poorly ventilated or confined areas, none of which are present at the proposed bore site, and is why the pipeline is not encased in conduit and odorant is added.” Hundreds of people voiced opposition to the pipeline last year when NorthWestern applied for the floodplain permit, which is required because the entry and exit locations for boring are within the floodplain.