Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 46°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
- 46°F
- Avg annual temp
- 54/100
- Comfort score
- 15.0"
- Annual precip
- 148d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Polson
Polson, Montana averages 46°F a year and scores 54/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 27% of U.S. cities.
- 46°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 15.0"
- precipitation, annual total
- 148 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
46°F (8°C)
Avg High
57°F
Avg Low
36°F
Annual Precip
15.0"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
46°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
15.0"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Polson) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Polson area.
How Polson compares to every U.S. city
Polson's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
54 Top 73% higher than 27% 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 Polson
MethodologyPolson'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 | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33°F (1°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 0.9" | 26.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 37°F (3°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 29°F (-1°C) | 0.8" | 25.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 47°F (8°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 0.9" | 22.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 56°F (13°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 1.4" | 11.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 66°F (19°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 2.0" | 3.2 | 0.0 |
| June | 72°F (22°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 2.4" | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| July | 83°F (28°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 0.8" | 0.0 | 6.1 |
| August | 82°F (28°C) | 53°F (11°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 0.8" | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| September | 71°F (22°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 1.2" | 0.6 | 0.1 |
| October | 56°F (13°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 1.6" | 9.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 41°F (5°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.2" | 21.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 33°F (1°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 0.9" | 27.2 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.9"
11.3 days with precipitation
February 0.8"
7.8 days with precipitation
March 0.9"
8.4 days with precipitation
April 1.4"
9.5 days with precipitation
May 2.0"
10.6 days with precipitation
June 2.4"
11.9 days with precipitation
July 0.8"
4.9 days with precipitation
August 0.8"
5.0 days with precipitation
September 1.2"
6.6 days with precipitation
October 1.6"
9.0 days with precipitation
November 1.2"
9.8 days with precipitation
December 0.9"
9.5 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 5
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 10
50% probability date
Growing Season
148 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,130
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
295
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
What Polson's climate means for you
Polson runs 46°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 148 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 10 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,130 heating and 295 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: Polson, MT
Based on station USC00246635 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Polson, Montana averages 46°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 57°F to a mean daily low of 36°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Polson should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 15.0 inches, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 148 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 10 and the first fall freeze near October 5. And on the energy front, 7,130 heating degree days and 295 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Polson scores 54/100 (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 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 Polson, MT? ▼
The average annual temperature in Polson, Montana is 46°F. The warmest month averages 83°F (28°C) and the coldest averages 22°F (-6°C).
How much rain does Polson get? ▼
Polson receives 15.0 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Polson? ▼
Polson has a climate comfort score of 54/100 (Moderate), milder than 27% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Polson? ▼
Polson has approximately 148 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 10 and the first fall freeze around October 5.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Polson? ▼
Polson has 7,130 heating degree days and 295 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 Polson climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00246635 near Polson.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00246635. 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.