Heron, MT climate
Heron 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 Heron feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Heron 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° | 23° | 3.7" | 26.5" | 18 | 30 | 20° – 33° |
| February | 38° | 23° | 2.5" | 12.3" | 13 | 25 | 21° – 37° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 3.0" | 10.9" | 14 | 19 | 32° – 44° |
| April | 57° | 33° | 2.3" | 1.3" | 13 | 2 | 39° – 51° |
| May | 67° | 40° | 2.4" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| June | 72° | 45° | 2.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| July | 83° | 49° | 1.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 56° – 72° |
| August | 82° | 48° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| September | 72° | 41° | 1.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| October | 56° | 34° | 2.9" | 0.7" | 13 | 0 | 40° – 51° |
| November | 41° | 29° | 3.8" | 7.9" | 16 | 7 | 29° – 40° |
| December | 33° | 23° | 3.9" | 24.6" | 18 | 24 | 22° – 33° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 30.3" | 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 Heron
Heron gets 30 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December 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 119 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 20 and the first one by September 20. That leaves about 119 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 97% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Heron
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Heron, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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 Heron 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 Heron averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.9°). The shift is smaller than in 54% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Heron’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 37°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Heron’s climate
What is the coldest month in Heron?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Heron?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 49°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Heron get?
About 84 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Heron?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 20, and the last spring frost by May 20.
What is the rainiest month in Heron?
December, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Heron itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Heron 2 Nw, MT (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.