Lakeside, MT climate
Lakeside has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lakeside feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lakeside 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° | 20° | 1.0" | 13.8" | 14 | 24 | 17° – 33° |
| February | 36° | 21° | 0.8" | 11.0" | 10 | 19 | 15° – 35° |
| March | 46° | 26° | 0.8" | 6.3" | 11 | 11 | 28° – 42° |
| April | 55° | 32° | 1.1" | 2.1" | 11 | 1 | 39° – 51° |
| May | 66° | 40° | 1.7" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| June | 72° | 46° | 2.5" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| July | 82° | 51° | 1.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 74° |
| August | 82° | 50° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| September | 71° | 42° | 1.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| October | 55° | 33° | 1.3" | 0.5" | 11 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| November | 40° | 26° | 1.1" | 3.4" | 12 | 5 | 26° – 40° |
| December | 32° | 21° | 1.1" | 13.4" | 13 | 18 | 19° – 32° |
| Year | 56° | 34° | 14.3" | 50.6" | 129 | 79 |
“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 Lakeside
Lakeside gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and March the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 129 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 79 days of the year.
About 134 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first one by September 25. That leaves about 134 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 93% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lakeside
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lakeside, 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 Lakeside 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 Lakeside averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.9°). The shift is larger than in 57% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lakeside’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 15° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Lakeside’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lakeside?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Lakeside?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 51°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lakeside get?
About 51 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Lakeside?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 25, and the last spring frost by May 12.
What is the rainiest month in Lakeside?
June, with 2.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lakeside itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Creston, MT (13 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.