Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 42°F annual avg 2 stations
Chinook, MT Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 42°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 13.4"
- Annual precip
- 132d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Chinook
Chinook, Montana averages 42°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 42°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 13.4"
- yearly precipitation total
- 132 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
42°F (6°C)
Avg High
56°F
Avg Low
29°F
Annual Precip
13.4"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
42°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
13.4"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Chinook) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Chinook area.
How Chinook compares to every U.S. city
Chinook's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 Top 92% higher than 8% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Chinook
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Chinook, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27°F (-3°C) | 4°F (-15°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 0.5" | 30.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 31°F (0°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 0.4" | 27.8 | 0.0 |
| March | 43°F (6°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 0.6" | 29.1 | 0.0 |
| April | 57°F (14°C) | 29°F (-1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 1.0" | 19.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (19°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.4" | 6.2 | 0.5 |
| June | 75°F (24°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 2.9" | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 1.6" | 0.0 | 9.9 |
| August | 83°F (29°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 1.1" | 0.0 | 9.7 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.0" | 3.1 | 2.0 |
| October | 57°F (14°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 0.9" | 20.3 | 0.0 |
| November | 41°F (5°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 0.7" | 27.9 | 0.0 |
| December | 31°F (-1°C) | 8°F (-14°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 0.4" | 30.7 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.5"
4.8 days with precipitation
February 0.4"
4.6 days with precipitation
March 0.6"
4.6 days with precipitation
April 1.0"
6.4 days with precipitation
May 2.4"
9.7 days with precipitation
June 2.9"
11.4 days with precipitation
July 1.6"
7.2 days with precipitation
August 1.1"
5.4 days with precipitation
September 1.0"
6.5 days with precipitation
October 0.9"
5.5 days with precipitation
November 0.7"
5.5 days with precipitation
December 0.4"
4.9 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 23
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 14
50% probability date
Growing Season
132 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,571
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
351
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Chinook's climate means for you
Chinook runs 42°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 132 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 14 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,571 heating and 351 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Chinook, MT
Chinook, Montana runs an annual average of 42°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 56°F to a mean daily low of 29°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from 2 weather stations, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Beyond temperature, Chinook averages 13.4 inches of precipitation annually, predominantly as rainfall - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 132 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 14 and the first fall freeze near September 23. Turning to energy use, 8,571 heating degree days and 351 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Chinook scores 44/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above are the practical planning tool: mild highs and lows land in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat peaks in summer, and January-driven cold sets in over deep winter. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast - any single year can run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Chinook, MT? ▼
The average annual temperature in Chinook, Montana is 42°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 4°F (-15°C).
How much rain does Chinook get? ▼
Chinook receives 13.4 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Chinook? ▼
Chinook has a climate comfort score of 44/100 (Moderate), milder than 8% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Chinook? ▼
Chinook has approximately 132 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 14 and the first fall freeze around September 23.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Chinook? ▼
Chinook has 8,571 heating degree days and 351 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Chinook climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Chinook.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00241722. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.