East Missoula, MT climate
East Missoula has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in East Missoula feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
East Missoula 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 | 33° | 17° | 1.6" | 9.9" | 13 | 20 | 15° – 32° |
| February | 37° | 19° | 1.4" | 8.5" | 11 | 14 | 17° – 35° |
| March | 48° | 25° | 1.3" | 5.0" | 11 | 5 | 29° – 42° |
| April | 56° | 30° | 1.7" | 1.3" | 11 | 0 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 66° | 38° | 2.1" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| June | 73° | 44° | 2.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| July | 84° | 49° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 57° – 74° |
| August | 83° | 47° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| September | 72° | 40° | 1.2" | 0.1" | 7 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| October | 56° | 31° | 1.6" | 0.9" | 10 | 1 | 36° – 51° |
| November | 40° | 24° | 1.7" | 5.4" | 11 | 5 | 26° – 38° |
| December | 32° | 17° | 1.7" | 11.6" | 13 | 16 | 18° – 29° |
| Year | 56° | 32° | 18.4" | 43.0" | 124 | 61 |
“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 East Missoula
East Missoula gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 61 days of the year.
About 130 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first one by September 26. That leaves about 130 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 95% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in East Missoula
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In East Missoula, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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 East Missoula 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 East Missoula averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.7°). The shift is smaller than in 54% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at East Missoula’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 17° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about East Missoula’s climate
What is the coldest month in East Missoula?
December, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in East Missoula?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 49°. About 27 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does East Missoula get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in East Missoula?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 26, and the last spring frost by May 16.
What is the rainiest month in East Missoula?
June, with 2.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for East Missoula itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Missoula Intl Airport, MT (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.