Red Lodge, MT climate
Red Lodge has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 142 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Red Lodge feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Red Lodge 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 | 36° | 17° | 0.8" | 13.5" | 5 | 29 | 18° – 31° |
| February | 36° | 17° | 0.9" | 19.4" | 5 | 25 | 13° – 36° |
| March | 44° | 24° | 1.5" | 20.2" | 7 | 22 | 24° – 42° |
| April | 51° | 30° | 2.3" | 25.5" | 9 | 10 | 34° – 45° |
| May | 60° | 38° | 3.8" | 6.2" | 12 | 1 | 43° – 54° |
| June | 70° | 46° | 2.5" | 0.6" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| July | 79° | 53° | 1.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 56° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 52° | 1.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| September | 68° | 44° | 1.6" | 2.1" | 7 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| October | 54° | 34° | 2.0" | 17.0" | 7 | 5 | 36° – 51° |
| November | 42° | 23° | 1.0" | 18.7" | 6 | 18 | 24° – 43° |
| December | 34° | 17° | 0.9" | 18.7" | 6 | 26 | 18° – 32° |
| Year | 54° | 33° | 20.0" | 141.9" | 92 | 137 |
“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 Red Lodge
Red Lodge gets 20 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 92 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 137 days of the year.
About 106 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 3 and the first one by September 19. That leaves about 106 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Red Lodge
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Red Lodge, 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 Red Lodge 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 Red Lodge averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.7°). The shift is larger than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Red Lodge’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 13° to 36°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Red Lodge’s climate
What is the coldest month in Red Lodge?
December, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Red Lodge?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 53°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Red Lodge get?
About 142 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Red Lodge?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 19, and the last spring frost by June 3.
What is the rainiest month in Red Lodge?
May, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 20 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Red Lodge itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Red Lodge, MT (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.