Bozeman, MT climate
Bozeman has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 91 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Bozeman feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bozeman 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° | 13° | 0.7" | 12.7" | 11 | 30 | 15° – 30° |
| February | 37° | 15° | 0.7" | 13.0" | 10 | 24 | 12° – 36° |
| March | 46° | 23° | 1.1" | 13.1" | 12 | 16 | 22° – 41° |
| April | 54° | 29° | 2.2" | 12.9" | 14 | 4 | 36° – 46° |
| May | 64° | 38° | 2.7" | 3.6" | 15 | 0 | 46° – 55° |
| June | 73° | 44° | 2.9" | 0.8" | 15 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| July | 83° | 50° | 1.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 57° – 73° |
| August | 83° | 48° | 1.2" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| September | 72° | 40° | 1.4" | 0.4" | 9 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| October | 58° | 31° | 1.6" | 6.0" | 11 | 3 | 36° – 50° |
| November | 43° | 20° | 1.0" | 12.5" | 10 | 15 | 20° – 41° |
| December | 33° | 13° | 0.8" | 16.2" | 11 | 26 | 15° – 29° |
| Year | 57° | 30° | 17.4" | 91.3" | 138 | 118 |
“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 Bozeman
Bozeman gets 17 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 138 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 118 days of the year.
About 116 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 26 and the first one by September 22. That leaves about 116 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bozeman
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bozeman, 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 Bozeman 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 Bozeman averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.3°). The shift is larger than in 83% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bozeman’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 12° to 36°. May is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Bozeman’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bozeman?
December, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 13°.
What is the hottest month in Bozeman?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 50°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Bozeman get?
About 91 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Bozeman?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 22, and the last spring frost by May 26.
What is the rainiest month in Bozeman?
June, with 2.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 17 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bozeman itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bozeman Montana State Univ, MT (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.