Climate Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 45°F annual avg 2 stations
Great Falls, MT Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 45°F
- Avg annual temp
- 34/100
- Comfort score
- 14.8"
- Annual precip
- 128d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana averages 45°F a year and scores 34/100 on the comfort index - below average, milder than 1% of U.S. cities.
- 45°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 34/100
- comfort score, milder than 1% of U.S. cities
- 14.8"
- annual precipitation · 66" snow
- 128 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
45°F (7°C)
Avg High
57°F
Avg Low
32°F
Annual Precip
14.8"
Annual Snow
66.1"
Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
45°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
14.8"
Plus 66.1" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Great Falls) 34.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Great Falls area.
How Great Falls compares to every U.S. city
Great Falls's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
34 Top 99% higher than 1% 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 Great Falls
MethodologyZooming out from Great Falls'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 | 35°F (2°C) | 15°F (-9°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 0.6" | 9.2" | 26.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 37°F (3°C) | 15°F (-9°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 0.6" | 10.1" | 25.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 46°F (8°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 0.7" | 10.1" | 25.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 55°F (13°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 1.7" | 9.4" | 18.1 | 0.0 |
| May | 65°F (18°C) | 38°F (4°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 2.4" | 1.9" | 6.0 | 0.1 |
| June | 73°F (23°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 2.7" | 0.3" | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 1.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 10.0 |
| August | 83°F (28°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 1.2" | 0.3" | 0.1 | 8.7 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.3" | 0.8" | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| October | 57°F (14°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 1.1" | 5.2" | 14.6 | 0.0 |
| November | 44°F (7°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 0.7" | 9.2" | 22.6 | 0.0 |
| December | 36°F (2°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 0.5" | 9.6" | 27.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.6"
Snow: 9.2"
6.9 days with precipitation
February 0.6"
Snow: 10.1"
8.2 days with precipitation
March 0.7"
Snow: 10.1"
8.1 days with precipitation
April 1.7"
Snow: 9.4"
10.0 days with precipitation
May 2.4"
Snow: 1.9"
11.3 days with precipitation
June 2.7"
Snow: 0.3"
11.8 days with precipitation
July 1.2"
7.1 days with precipitation
August 1.2"
Snow: 0.3"
6.8 days with precipitation
September 1.3"
Snow: 0.8"
7.1 days with precipitation
October 1.1"
Snow: 5.2"
7.4 days with precipitation
November 0.7"
Snow: 9.2"
6.5 days with precipitation
December 0.5"
Snow: 9.6"
6.5 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 24
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 19
50% probability date
Growing Season
128 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,722
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
310
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 60% | 13.1 | 54% | 23% |
| February | 61% | 11.5 | 48% | 27% |
| March | 56% | 11.6 | 46% | 27% |
| April | 52% | 11.2 | 46% | 23% |
| May | 58% | 9.8 | 44% | 22% |
| June | 51% | 9.1 | 60% | 10% |
| July | 42% | 8.8 | 69% | 6% |
| August | 42% | 9.2 | 67% | 9% |
| September | 51% | 10.7 | 65% | 16% |
| October | 56% | 12.7 | 57% | 21% |
| November | 59% | 13.7 | 58% | 22% |
| December | 61% | 13.4 | 55% | 24% |
What Great Falls's climate means for you
Great Falls runs 45°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 128 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 19 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,722 heating and 310 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: Great Falls, MT
An annual average temperature of 45°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 57°F to a mean daily low of 32°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Great Falls, Montana. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from 2 weather stations and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Beyond temperature, Great Falls averages 14.8 inches of precipitation annually, with 66.1 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 128 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 19 and the first fall freeze near September 24. Turning to energy use, 7,722 heating degree days and 310 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Great Falls scores 34/100 (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 Great Falls, MT? ▼
The average annual temperature in Great Falls, Montana is 45°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 15°F (-9°C).
How much rain does Great Falls get? ▼
Great Falls receives 14.8 inches of precipitation annually, including 66.1 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Great Falls? ▼
Great Falls has a climate comfort score of 34/100 (Below Average), milder than 1% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Great Falls? ▼
Great Falls has approximately 128 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 19 and the first fall freeze around September 24.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Great Falls? ▼
Great Falls has 7,722 heating degree days and 310 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 Great Falls climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Great Falls.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00024143. 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.