Wise River, MT climate
Wise River has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Wise River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Wise River 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 13° | 1.1" | 2.4" | 3 | 12° – 28° |
| February | 33° | 13° | 1.1" | 2.0" | 3 | 13° – 31° |
| March | 41° | 19° | 1.4" | 2.6" | 4 | 22° – 36° |
| April | 48° | 25° | 2.0" | 0.8" | 5 | 31° – 42° |
| May | 58° | 33° | 2.8" | 0.1" | 8 | 40° – 50° |
| June | 66° | 39° | 2.8" | 0 | 10 | 48° – 59° |
| July | 77° | 44° | 1.4" | 0 | 6 | 50° – 67° |
| August | 76° | 42° | 1.2" | 0 | 6 | 53° – 62° |
| September | 65° | 36° | 1.6" | 0.1" | 4 | 47° – 55° |
| October | 52° | 27° | 1.7" | 0.9" | 4 | 31° – 46° |
| November | 38° | 18° | 1.4" | 1.7" | 4 | 18° – 35° |
| December | 29° | 12° | 1.3" | 4.6" | 3 | 15° – 27° |
| Year | 51° | 27° | 19.9" | 15.2" | 59 |
“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 Wise River
Wise River gets 20 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 59 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Wise River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Wise River, 100% of that work is heating and 0% 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.
Wise River and its neighbors
Wise River borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Butte-Silver Bow has both the coldest January nights (14°) and the hottest July afternoons (79°). Wise River’s January low is 13° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Wise River 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 Wise River averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.0°). The shift is larger than in 69% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Wise River’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 31°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Wise River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Wise River?
December, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Wise River?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 44°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Wise River get?
About 15 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Wise River?
Frost is uncommon. Only 100% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Wise River?
June, with 2.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 20 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Wise River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Divide, MT (10 mi, snow) and Wise Rvr 3 Wnw, MT (2 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.