Pioneer Junction, MT climate
Pioneer Junction has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Pioneer Junction feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Pioneer Junction 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° | 21° | 1.9" | 11.8" | 14 | 30 | 18° – 34° |
| February | 39° | 22° | 1.5" | 5.4" | 10 | 22 | 20° – 37° |
| March | 49° | 27° | 1.7" | 3.8" | 12 | 10 | 31° – 43° |
| April | 58° | 32° | 1.2" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 39° | 1.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| June | 75° | 45° | 2.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| July | 85° | 49° | 0.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 59° – 73° |
| August | 85° | 47° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| September | 74° | 41° | 1.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| October | 56° | 33° | 1.7" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 40° – 50° |
| November | 41° | 27° | 2.3" | 6.3" | 13 | 6 | 27° – 41° |
| December | 32° | 22° | 2.3" | 20.4" | 14 | 25 | 21° – 32° |
| Year | 58° | 34° | 19.0" | 48.2" | 125 | 93 |
“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 Pioneer Junction
Pioneer Junction gets 19 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 125 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 93 days of the year.
About 137 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 10 and the first one by September 26. That leaves about 137 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 91% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Pioneer Junction
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Pioneer Junction, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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 Pioneer Junction 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 Pioneer Junction averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.5°). The shift is larger than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Pioneer Junction’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 20° to 37°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Pioneer Junction’s climate
What is the coldest month in Pioneer Junction?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Pioneer Junction?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 49°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Pioneer Junction get?
About 48 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Pioneer Junction?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 26, and the last spring frost by May 10.
What is the rainiest month in Pioneer Junction?
December, with 2.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 19 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Pioneer Junction itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Libby 1 Ne Rs, MT (6 mi, snow) and Libby, MT (5 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.