Clark Fork, ID climate
Clark Fork has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 84 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Clark Fork feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Clark Fork weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 23° | 3.0" | 26.5" | 18 | 30 | 21° – 33° |
| February | 39° | 24° | 1.9" | 12.3" | 13 | 25 | 21° – 38° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 2.4" | 10.9" | 14 | 19 | 32° – 45° |
| April | 57° | 33° | 2.1" | 1.3" | 13 | 2 | 40° – 53° |
| May | 67° | 41° | 2.3" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 46° | 2.3" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| July | 83° | 50° | 0.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 57° – 72° |
| August | 82° | 49° | 0.8" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| September | 72° | 42° | 1.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| October | 56° | 34° | 2.3" | 0.7" | 13 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 42° | 29° | 3.3" | 7.9" | 16 | 7 | 29° – 41° |
| December | 34° | 23° | 3.2" | 24.6" | 18 | 24 | 23° – 33° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 25.9" | 84.3" | 154 | 107 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Clark Fork
Clark Fork gets 26 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 154 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 107 days of the year.
About 153 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first one by October 8. That leaves about 153 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 78% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Clark Fork
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Clark Fork, 97% of that work is heating and 3% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Clark Fork compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Clark Fork averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.1°). The shift is larger than in 55% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Clark Fork’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 21° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Clark Fork’s climate
What is the coldest month in Clark Fork?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Clark Fork?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 50°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Clark Fork get?
About 84 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Clark Fork?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 8, and the last spring frost by May 9.
What is the rainiest month in Clark Fork?
November, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Clark Fork itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Heron 2 Nw, MT (9 mi, snow) and Cabinet Gorge, ID (7 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.