Little Bitterroot Lake, MT climate
Little Bitterroot Lake has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 54 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Little Bitterroot Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Little Bitterroot Lake 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° | 17° | 2.1" | 13.9" | 14 | 25 | 16° – 32° |
| February | 36° | 17° | 1.8" | 8.4" | 11 | 17 | 14° – 34° |
| March | 45° | 23° | 1.7" | 5.4" | 12 | 9 | 27° – 40° |
| April | 53° | 29° | 1.6" | 1.2" | 11 | 0 | 35° – 47° |
| May | 63° | 36° | 2.1" | 0.2" | 12 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| June | 69° | 41° | 2.6" | 0.3" | 13 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| July | 80° | 45° | 1.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 55° – 69° |
| August | 79° | 44° | 1.0" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| September | 68° | 38° | 1.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| October | 52° | 30° | 2.0" | 1.1" | 11 | 1 | 35° – 47° |
| November | 38° | 23° | 2.4" | 8.0" | 12 | 5 | 24° – 38° |
| December | 31° | 17° | 2.4" | 15.9" | 14 | 17 | 17° – 30° |
| Year | 54° | 30° | 22.1" | 54.4" | 132 | 75 |
“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 Little Bitterroot Lake
Little Bitterroot Lake gets 22 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 132 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 75 days of the year.
About 100 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 31 and the first one by September 10. That leaves about 100 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Little Bitterroot Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Little Bitterroot Lake, 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 Little Bitterroot Lake 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 Little Bitterroot Lake averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.6°). The shift is larger than in 57% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Little Bitterroot Lake’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 14° to 34°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Little Bitterroot Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Little Bitterroot Lake?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Little Bitterroot Lake?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 45°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Little Bitterroot Lake get?
About 54 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Little Bitterroot Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 10, and the last spring frost by May 31.
What is the rainiest month in Little Bitterroot Lake?
June, with 2.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 22 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Little Bitterroot Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kalispell Glacier Airport, MT (24 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.