Climate Comfort Score
39/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 44°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Columbus, MT Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 44°F
- Avg annual temp
- 39/100
- Comfort score
- 15.5"
- Annual precip
- 110d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Columbus
Columbus, Montana averages 44°F a year and scores 39/100 on the comfort index - below average, milder than 4% of U.S. cities.
- 44°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 39/100
- comfort score, milder than 4% of U.S. cities
- 15.5"
- annual precipitation · 48" snow
- 110 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
44°F (7°C)
Avg High
60°F
Avg Low
29°F
Annual Precip
15.5"
Annual Snow
47.6"
Comfort Score
39/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
44°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
15.5"
Plus 47.6" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Columbus) 39.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Columbus area.
How Columbus compares to every U.S. city
Columbus's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
39 Top 96% higher than 4% 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 Columbus
MethodologyColumbus's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running warmer than the 30-year mean.
- 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 | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37°F (3°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 0.6" | 7.0" | 29.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 40°F (5°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 0.7" | 8.8" | 26.5 | 0.0 |
| March | 51°F (10°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 0.9" | 7.7" | 26.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 58°F (14°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 2.0" | 4.5" | 18.4 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (19°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 2.8" | 0.5" | 5.7 | 0.2 |
| June | 76°F (24°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 2.3" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 2.6 |
| July | 85°F (30°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 1.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 12.1 |
| August | 84°F (29°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 10.2 |
| September | 74°F (23°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.4" | 0.2" | 3.2 | 2.3 |
| October | 60°F (16°C) | 29°F (-1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 1.5" | 3.8" | 16.4 | 0.1 |
| November | 46°F (8°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 0.7" | 5.9" | 26.4 | 0.0 |
| December | 37°F (3°C) | 11°F (-12°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 0.7" | 9.2" | 30.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.6"
Snow: 7.0"
5.1 days with precipitation
February 0.7"
Snow: 8.8"
6.0 days with precipitation
March 0.9"
Snow: 7.7"
7.2 days with precipitation
April 2.0"
Snow: 4.5"
9.6 days with precipitation
May 2.8"
Snow: 0.5"
11.6 days with precipitation
June 2.3"
11.0 days with precipitation
July 1.1"
8.7 days with precipitation
August 0.9"
6.9 days with precipitation
September 1.4"
Snow: 0.2"
6.4 days with precipitation
October 1.5"
Snow: 3.8"
7.4 days with precipitation
November 0.7"
Snow: 5.9"
5.1 days with precipitation
December 0.7"
Snow: 9.2"
5.9 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 14
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 27
50% probability date
Growing Season
110 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,736
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
241
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Columbus's climate means for you
Columbus runs 44°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 110 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 27 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,736 heating and 241 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: Columbus, MT
An annual average temperature of 44°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 60°F to a mean daily low of 29°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Columbus, Montana. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00241938 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Columbus receives roughly 15.5 inches of precipitation each year, with 47.6 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 110 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 27 and the first fall freeze near September 14. For energy use, 7,736 heating degree days and 241 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Columbus scores 39/100 (Below Average), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings January-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Columbus, MT? ▼
The average annual temperature in Columbus, Montana is 44°F. The warmest month averages 85°F (30°C) and the coldest averages 10°F (-12°C).
How much rain does Columbus get? ▼
Columbus receives 15.5 inches of precipitation annually, including 47.6 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Columbus? ▼
Columbus has a climate comfort score of 39/100 (Below Average), milder than 4% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Columbus? ▼
Columbus has approximately 110 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 27 and the first fall freeze around September 14.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Columbus? ▼
Columbus has 7,736 heating degree days and 241 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 Columbus climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00241938 near Columbus.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00241938. 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.