Lima, MT climate
Lima has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 53 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lima feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lima 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 8° | 0.3" | 6.0" | 4 | 11° – 24° |
| February | 32° | 10° | 0.3" | 5.1" | 4 | 13° – 28° |
| March | 41° | 19° | 0.5" | 6.8" | 5 | 24° – 37° |
| April | 50° | 25° | 1.1" | 10.1" | 7 | 32° – 43° |
| May | 60° | 33° | 1.7" | 4.7" | 9 | 40° – 52° |
| June | 70° | 40° | 2.0" | 1.1" | 9 | 49° – 61° |
| July | 81° | 46° | 1.0" | 0 | 7 | 53° – 71° |
| August | 79° | 44° | 1.0" | 0 | 6 | 55° – 66° |
| September | 69° | 37° | 0.9" | 0.6" | 5 | 49° – 57° |
| October | 54° | 27° | 1.0" | 6.7" | 5 | 32° – 47° |
| November | 39° | 17° | 0.4" | 5.8" | 3 | 17° – 36° |
| December | 28° | 8° | 0.4" | 5.7" | 4 | 12° – 23° |
| Year | 53° | 26° | 10.5" | 52.6" | 67 |
“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 Lima
Lima gets 11 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 67 days a year.
About 89 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 11 and the first one by September 10. That leaves about 89 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lima
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lima, 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 Lima 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 Lima averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lima’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. November swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 17° to 36°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Lima’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lima?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Lima?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 46°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lima get?
About 53 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Lima?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 10, and the last spring frost by June 11.
What is the rainiest month in Lima?
June, with 2.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 11 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lima itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lima, MT (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.