Elliston, MT climate
Elliston has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Elliston feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Elliston 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 | 32° | 13° | 0.8" | 6.6" | 7 | 18 | 13° – 30° |
| February | 35° | 13° | 0.9" | 6.6" | 7 | 11 | 10° – 33° |
| March | 44° | 20° | 1.1" | 4.6" | 7 | 5 | 22° – 39° |
| April | 51° | 27° | 1.6" | 2.9" | 9 | 1 | 33° – 45° |
| May | 61° | 34° | 2.4" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 43° – 53° |
| June | 69° | 40° | 2.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 49° – 62° |
| July | 80° | 46° | 1.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 53° – 70° |
| August | 79° | 44° | 1.3" | 0.3" | 6 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| September | 68° | 37° | 1.3" | 0.2" | 6 | 0 | 49° – 57° |
| October | 53° | 28° | 1.3" | 2.8" | 7 | 2 | 33° – 47° |
| November | 39° | 19° | 0.8" | 5.4" | 7 | 6 | 21° – 38° |
| December | 31° | 12° | 0.8" | 7.7" | 7 | 14 | 13° – 27° |
| Year | 53° | 28° | 16.3" | 37.2" | 91 | 57 |
“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 Elliston
Elliston gets 16 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 91 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 57 days of the year.
About 91 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 9 and the first one by September 8. That leaves about 91 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Elliston
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Elliston, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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 Elliston 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 Elliston averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.8°). The shift is larger than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Elliston’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 10° to 33°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Elliston’s climate
What is the coldest month in Elliston?
December, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Elliston?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 46°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Elliston get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Elliston?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 8, and the last spring frost by June 9.
What is the rainiest month in Elliston?
June, with 2.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 16 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Elliston itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Helena Rgnl Airport, MT (24 mi, snow) and Elliston, MT (1 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.