Prairie Elk Colony has cold winters and warm summers, with very little rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 3°.
A year in Prairie Elk Colony at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Prairie Elk Colony’s climate
Read from where Prairie Elk Colony sits among Montana’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 125 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first by September 20.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Rain and snow in Prairie Elk Colony
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
No snow records from a nearby station.
What a year in Prairie Elk Colony feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Prairie Elk Colony’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
125 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 16 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 20.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 94% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 30 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 87°.
The nicest months are May, June and September.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Prairie Elk Colony averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.6°).
A bigger shift than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Prairie Elk Colony compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Montana.
Prairie Elk Colony 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 | 24° | 3° | 0.3" | 2° – 28° |
| February | 30° | 7° | 0.3" | -4° – 32° |
| March | 44° | 19° | 0.5" | 15° – 43° |
| April | 59° | 30° | 0.9" | 38° – 49° |
| May | 69° | 41° | 2.2" | 50° – 62° |
| June | 78° | 51° | 2.9" | 60° – 69° |
| July | 87° | 56° | 2.0" | 63° – 79° |
| August | 86° | 54° | 1.4" | 65° – 76° |
| September | 75° | 44° | 1.0" | 54° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 31° | 0.9" | 36° – 50° |
| November | 41° | 18° | 0.3" | 16° – 39° |
| December | 28° | 7° | 0.3" | 4° – 28° |
| Year | 57° | 30° | 13.1" |
Heating and cooling a home in Prairie Elk Colony
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -4° to 32°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Prairie Elk Colony’s climate
What is the coldest month in Prairie Elk Colony?
January, with a typical high of 24° and a low of 3°.
What is the hottest month in Prairie Elk Colony?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 56°. About 30 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Prairie Elk Colony?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 20, and the last spring frost by May 16.
What is the rainiest month in Prairie Elk Colony?
June, with 2.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 13 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Prairie Elk Colony.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Prairie Elk Colony itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Wolf Point Intl Airport, MT (12 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.