Climate Comfort Score
39/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 44°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Fortine, MT Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 44°F
- Avg annual temp
- 39/100
- Comfort score
- 15.1"
- Annual precip
- 125d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Fortine
Fortine, 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
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 39/100
- comfort score, milder than 4% of U.S. cities
- 15.1"
- annual precipitation · 41" snow
- 125 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
44°F (7°C)
Avg High
56°F
Avg Low
32°F
Annual Precip
15.1"
Annual Snow
40.9"
Comfort Score
39/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
44°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
15.1"
Plus 40.9" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Fortine) 39.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Fortine area.
How Fortine compares to every U.S. city
Fortine'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 Fortine
MethodologyZooming out from Fortine's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- 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 | 30°F (-1°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 0.8" | 9.1" | 29.2 | 0.0 |
| February | 35°F (2°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 0.7" | 5.9" | 26.4 | 0.0 |
| March | 46°F (8°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 0.8" | 5.6" | 25.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 56°F (13°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 1.2" | 2.1" | 18.0 | 0.0 |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 1.9" | 0.3" | 6.3 | 0.1 |
| June | 73°F (23°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 2.8" | 0.0" | 0.4 | 1.0 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 1.6" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 8.0 |
| August | 83°F (29°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 0.4 | 6.5 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.2" | 0.0" | 5.2 | 0.8 |
| October | 55°F (13°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 0.9" | 0.7" | 17.3 | 0.0 |
| November | 39°F (4°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.3" | 7.9" | 24.9 | 0.0 |
| December | 29°F (-2°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 1.1" | 9.3" | 29.1 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.8"
Snow: 9.1"
8.9 days with precipitation
February 0.7"
Snow: 5.9"
6.7 days with precipitation
March 0.8"
Snow: 5.6"
7.4 days with precipitation
April 1.2"
Snow: 2.1"
6.8 days with precipitation
May 1.9"
Snow: 0.3"
8.8 days with precipitation
June 2.8"
10.2 days with precipitation
July 1.6"
6.1 days with precipitation
August 0.9"
4.2 days with precipitation
September 1.2"
6.5 days with precipitation
October 0.9"
Snow: 0.7"
6.2 days with precipitation
November 1.3"
Snow: 7.9"
10.4 days with precipitation
December 1.1"
Snow: 9.3"
9.8 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 18
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 16
50% probability date
Growing Season
125 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,857
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
209
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
What Fortine's climate means for you
Fortine runs 44°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 125 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 16 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,857 heating and 209 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: Fortine, MT
An annual average temperature of 44°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 56°F to a mean daily low of 32°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Fortine, Montana. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00243139 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Beyond temperature, Fortine averages 15.1 inches of precipitation annually, with 40.9 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 125 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 16 and the first fall freeze near September 18. Turning to energy use, 7,857 heating degree days and 209 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Fortine scores 39/100 (Below Average), 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 December-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 Fortine, MT? ▼
The average annual temperature in Fortine, Montana is 44°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 17°F (-8°C).
How much rain does Fortine get? ▼
Fortine receives 15.1 inches of precipitation annually, including 40.9 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Fortine? ▼
Fortine 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 Fortine? ▼
Fortine has approximately 125 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 16 and the first fall freeze around September 18.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Fortine? ▼
Fortine has 7,857 heating degree days and 209 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 Fortine climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00243139 near Fortine.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00243139. 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.