Medicine Lake, MT climate
Medicine Lake has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 1°.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Medicine Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Medicine Lake weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22° | 1° | 0.4" | -1° – 25° |
| February | 27° | 6° | 0.2" | -6° – 30° |
| March | 40° | 17° | 0.5" | 14° – 41° |
| April | 56° | 29° | 0.9" | 34° – 49° |
| May | 68° | 40° | 2.2" | 50° – 59° |
| June | 76° | 50° | 3.1" | 58° – 68° |
| July | 83° | 55° | 2.4" | 62° – 76° |
| August | 83° | 53° | 1.5" | 62° – 74° |
| September | 72° | 43° | 1.1" | 53° – 64° |
| October | 56° | 30° | 0.8" | 35° – 49° |
| November | 38° | 17° | 0.5" | 14° – 38° |
| December | 26° | 6° | 0.4" | 4° – 26° |
| Year | 54° | 29° | 13.9" |
“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 Medicine Lake
Medicine Lake gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest.
About 125 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first one by September 18. That leaves about 125 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Medicine Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Medicine Lake, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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 Medicine 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 Medicine Lake averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.9°). The shift is larger than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Medicine 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 -6° to 30°. May is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Medicine Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Medicine Lake?
January, with a typical high of 22° and a low of 1°.
What is the hottest month in Medicine Lake?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 55°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Medicine Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 18, and the last spring frost by May 16.
What is the rainiest month in Medicine Lake?
June, with 3.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Medicine Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Medicine Lake 3 Se, MT (3 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.