Dillon U of Montana Western, MT Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Annual temperature and rainfall from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →; comfort score computed by PlainClimate
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Dillon U of Montana Western's primary NOAA station, DILLON U OF MONTANA WESTERN.
The climate verdict for Dillon U of Montana Western
Dryness leads the climate profile for Dillon U of Montana Western, Montana, with 11.3 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA records an annual average of 43°F. At 44/100 (moderate) the climate comfort score falls in the bottom third of the station-mapped U.S. score corpus, exceeding only 10% of scores.
- 43°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 44/100
- comfort score, above 10% of station-mapped location scores
- 11.3"
- annual precipitation · 11" snow
- 100 days
- frost-free growing season
Dillon U of Montana Western: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USC00242409 · Dillon U of Montana Western, MT 43°F mean · 11.3" precip
TEMP-COOL · RANK-COOL · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-ARID · SWING-MID · COMF-LOW · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-COOL 43°F
- RANK-COOL #755
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Ennis
- PRCP-ARID 11.3"
- SWING-MID 43°F
- COMF-LOW 44/100
- LOAD-HEAT 8,176 HDD
- STN-1 USC00242409
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Ennis, MT ( -0.1 °F mean)
Instrument codes from this station's NOAA 1991–2020 normals, mean temperature, corpus warmth rank, photo-finish peer station, precipitation band, seasonal swing, comfort composite, degree-day load, and field book, not a livability rating.
Mean-temperature neighbourhood
Nationwide NOAA normal poles and nearest peers, not a reprint of every MT station list.
- Dillon U of Mon… (this station) 43°F
- Cold Ennis, MT 43°F
- Hot Burris, WY 43°F
- Near Montrose, CO 43°F
- Near Sugar City, ID 43°F
Dillon U of Montana Western sits in Montana, the #6 coldest U.S. state at 43.4°F statewide annual average - see all 50 coldest states ranked by NOAA normals
Climate Living Index · Dillon U of Montana Western
Dillon U of Montana Western: 17/100 · grade F
Dillon U of Montana Western publishes 5 of 6 Living Index dimensions (NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals); 1 missing weight rescale to 100.
PlainClimate-derived for Dillon U of Montana Western, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 44/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Snowfall burden | 11.2 inches/year | 61/100 · C |
| Precipitation balance | 11.3 in · 23.7 from 35 in | 16/100 · F |
| Annual temperature balance | 42.8°F · 24.7° from 67.5°F | 12/100 · F |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 205 calendar days | 11/100 · F |
| Frost-free season | 100 days/year | 0/100 · F |
Dillon U of Montana Western · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Dillon U of Montana Western's normals sit in a dry climate class: BSk
Precipitation is low relative to temperature but above true desert thresholds: cold semi-arid steppe (BSk). Class BSk is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: dry (arid or semi-arid), specifically cold semi-arid steppe.
- Köppen code
- BSk
- Group
- Dry (arid or semi-arid)
- Warmest month
- 65.2°F
- Coldest month
- 22.4°F
Source: official public datasets monthly normals (1991–2020) at the city’s primary station. This is a station classification, not a mapped regional consensus.
National standing · heating-led station
Where Dillon U of Montana Western sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Dillon U of Montana Western's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- Cooler than 89%
- Among 6,861 stations, Dillon U of Montana Western sits in the cooler third of annual means.
- Annual precipitation
- Drier than 91%
- Dillon U of Montana Western's annual total ranks in the drier third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- 48th percentile swing
- Typical seasonal amplitude versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Dillon U of Montana Western compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Dillon U of Montana Western's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 10th percentile score exceeds 10% of 6,189 station-mapped location scores
- 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
- 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). This entry sits in this band.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). Above this entry.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Above this entry.
- 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Above this entry.
- 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry.
- 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Dillon U of Montana Western's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 90 complete annual observations from 1902 to 2025, DILLON U OF MONTANA WESTERN warmed at a fitted rate of 0.21°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Dillon U of Montana Western primary station fitted change +0.21 °C/decade
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33°F (1°C) | 15°F (-10°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 0.3" | 1.7" | 30.2 | 0.0 |
| February | 37°F (3°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 0.3" | 0.9" | 26.5 | 0.0 |
| March | 46°F (8°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 0.7" | 0.4" | 26.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 54°F (12°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 1.5" | 0.2" | 20.4 | 0.0 |
| May | 64°F (18°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 1.9" | 0.1" | 7.8 | 0.1 |
| June | 73°F (23°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 1.9" | 0.0" | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| July | 83°F (28°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 8.0 |
| August | 81°F (27°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 4.7 |
| September | 71°F (22°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 3.7 | 0.5 |
| October | 56°F (14°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 0.9" | 0.4" | 17.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 41°F (5°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 0.5" | 2.9" | 25.6 | 0.0 |
| December | 32°F (0°C) | 13°F (-10°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 0.5" | 4.6" | 30.1 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Summer here tops out rather than builds: the warmest normal high is 85°F around July 24, short of 90°F on every date, while 205 dates carry a normal low at or below freezing, the coldest 12°F near December 20.
The freezing stretch
The normal low stays at or below 32°F into May 2, then returns to freezing around October 11, covering 205 dates in all.
Derived from the normal daily minimum. This is a different measure from the 50%-probability frost dates shown elsewhere on this page, which come from NOAA’s frost product.
Where the wet dates fall
The likeliest wet date is May 27, when 36% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is January 17 at 13%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 78 wet dates a year.
The widest day
July 28 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 36°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Dillon U of Montana Western.
Where Dillon U of Montana Western Stands Nationally
Winters bite deep and often: the normal nightly low dips to freezing or below on around 205 nights a year, placing this among the most frost-prone tenth of ranked stations.
Aridity defines the water calendar: about 11 inches in a normal year lands this among the driest tenth of ranked stations.
Dillon U of Montana Western earns 2 nationally notable standings (outer quintiles) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations; only those extremes render.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
Snow: 1.7"
4.0 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.9"
4.7 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.4"
5.7 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.2"
8.8 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.1"
10.5 days with precipitation
9.8 days with precipitation
6.0 days with precipitation
6.0 days with precipitation
5.1 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.4"
6.7 days with precipitation
Snow: 2.9"
5.1 days with precipitation
Snow: 4.6"
5.1 days with precipitation
Dillon U of Montana Western spreads its precipitation across the year
Neither half of the year dominates here: June through August take 33% of the annual total and December through February 10%, with neither reaching the 35% that would mark a distinct wet season. Dillon U of Montana Western has no dry season to plan around, though it does carry a 42.8°F seasonal spread.
The gap between the wettest and driest month still matters: May averages 1.9" and January 0.3". The three wettest months together take 48% of the year, against the 25% a perfectly flat distribution would give them.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. "Spread across the year" means neither the June-August nor the December-February share reaches 35%; it describes an average year, not the variability of any single one.
Dillon U of Montana Western is dry, and what does fall arrives gently
Only about 77 days a year record measurable precipitation here, 21% of the calendar, and they carry 11.3" between them. At roughly 0.15 inches on an average wet day, this is not the damp drizzle of a marine climate; it is an arid record in which precipitation is both uncommon and light when it appears.
The wettest month by count is May at about 11 wet days; the driest is January at about 4.
A low per-event average in a dry record is a statement about typical days only. Arid regions can still take a large share of a year's total from a single convective storm, which a normal cannot show.
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year, not the extremes within it.
Snow reaches Dillon U of Montana Western, but rarely amounts to much
The normals record 11.2 inches of snow a year here, most likely in December. That is a real but marginal amount: enough that snow is part of the local record, not enough to define the winter.
A figure in this range usually reflects a handful of events that melt quickly rather than a season of accumulation; about 6 days a year record any measurable snow at all.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. An average across thirty years can smooth away a single heavy winter, so a small annual figure does not mean a significant snowfall is impossible.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 13
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
June 5
50% probability date
Growing Season
100 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,176
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
116
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside MT closest to Dillon U of Montana Western on two NOAA annual-normal axes (mean temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.
Closest by average temperature
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual mean temperature (43°F here).
- Cooperstown, NY 43°F · 0.0°F off
- Craig, CO 43°F · 0.0°F off
- Elfin Cove, AK 43°F · 0.0°F off
- Farmington, ME 43°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (11.3" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Northway, AK 11.3" · 0.0" off
- Madera, CA 11.3" · 0.0" off
- Payette, ID 11.3" · 0.0" off
- Waterville, WA 11.3" · 0.0" off
Scarce-water calendar
Where Dillon U of Montana Western's limited precipitation lands
heating led · dry · mid swing
Dillon U of Montana Western's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 8,176 annual heating degree days against 116 for cooling. Its 42.8°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Only about 100 days are frost-free in a normal year. That short interval is consistent with the cold-season signal, but the measure does not predict the exact first or last freeze in any one year.
July and December mark the typical warm and cold ends of the calendar in Dillon U of Montana Western's middle-range seasonal profile. The measured spread is 42.8°F. The annual average is 43°F. Neither the annual mean nor one extreme month represents the full calendar on its own.
Dillon U of Montana Western's cold-season load does not imply a wet climate. Annual precipitation is 11.3 inches, which places the station in PlainClimate's dry range. Annual snowfall totals 11.2 inches. The snowfall and rainfall fields should be read separately rather than inferred from temperature.
Dillon U of Montana Western wettest normal
May
May concentrates the scarce annual total (11.3 inches).
Dillon U of Montana Western driest normal
January
January is typically driest; arid stations are defined by when water is absent, not by a four-season grid.
Questions about Dillon U of Montana Western's climate
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Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Dillon U of Montana Western's primary station: DILLON U OF MONTANA WESTERN (USC00242409). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The conservative exact name-and-state crosswalk finds no Census place match, so PlainClimate treats this as a station-mapped location and does not claim it is a municipality. No exact Gazetteer row for Dillon U of Montana Western; facility counts that depend on place identity are therefore an upper bound, not a municipal census.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Dillon U of Montana Western comes from its primary NOAA station record. No figure on this page is typed in by an editor - each value is rendered from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 1991–2020 normals.