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Climate in Grass Range · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Dry weather: only 17 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Grass Range, less than in 92% of U.S. towns

In July the day’s top temperature is typically 84°. Precipitation peaks in May and eases off in February. In January, nights here are colder than in 91% of U.S. towns. Plan time outside from June to September, when highs sit at 73–84°.

Colder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns#13 coldest of 44 in MT
More snow than 83% of U.S. towns#15Snowiest  of 40 in MT
All MT rankings →

A year in Grass Range at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan35°12° 9" snow
Feb38°14° 8" snow
Mar48°22° 9" snow
Apr56°30° 5" snow
May65°39° Last frost ~May 20Wettest
Jun74°47° 1 day 90°+
Jul84°53° 7 days 90°+
Aug83°52° 6 days 90°+
Sep73°43° First frost ~Sep 241 day 90°+
Oct58°32° 3" snow
Nov now45°21° 6" snow
Dec36°14° 9" snow

What stands out about Grass Range’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Grass Range’s place in Montana beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Grass Range feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
37° / 13°
20 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
56° / 30°
Last frost around May 20
Summer
80° / 51°
14 days reach 90°
Fall
59° / 32°
First frost around Sep 24
Best months to be outsideJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 126 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 20 and the first by September 24. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Grass Range, MT, 0.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

171
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
29th most of 44 in Montana
More freezing nights than 96% of U.S. towns
18
nights at or below 0°
19th most of 44 in Montana
More nights at or below 0° than 93% of U.S. towns
14
days that reach 90°
17th fewest of 44 in Montana
Fewer 90° days than 62% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
7th fewest of 44 in Montana
Fewer 100° days than 68% of U.S. towns
4bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 4b

The 2023 USDA map puts Grass Range’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −23°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

6.7
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 50 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Grass Range, MT, falls mostly in January, March and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 17 inches a year; May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 88 days a year.

17"
Rain + melted snow a year
35th driest of 44 in Montana
Drier than 92% of U.S. towns
50"
Snow in a normal winter
15th snowiest of 40 in Montana
More snow than 83% of U.S. towns
64 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
18th most of 36 in Montana
More days with snow on the ground than 83% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

3.2"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

9"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Grass Range

96% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.

7,378 heating degree daysMore heating than 91% of U.S. towns
314 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 94% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Grass Range, MT.

Living here

Living with Grass Range’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

126 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 20 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 24.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 0.3 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Cold waves are 49% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Grass Range from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Grass Range and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Grass Range yet.

Climates most like Grass Range’s, farther away

TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Grass Range, MT12°84°17"50"
Gleneagle, CO14°84°21"55"
Gillette, WY13°86°16"56"
Rapid Valley, SD14°86°19"49"
Rexburg, ID12°84°13"70"

Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Grass Range averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.7°).

+1.6°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.8°now 25°, was 22°
Spring+1.5°now 43°, was 42°
Summer+0.9°now 66°, was 65°
Fall+1.2°now 45°, was 44°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Grass Range compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Grass Range’s place among Montana’s.

Summer heat84° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 64% of U.S. towns19th coolest of 44 in Montana
Winter cold12° January low
Colder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns13th coldest of 44 in Montana
Precipitation17" a year
Drier than 92% of U.S. towns35th driest of 44 in Montana
Snow50" a winter
More snow than 83% of U.S. towns15th snowiest of 40 in Montana
Hot days14 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 62% of U.S. towns17th fewest of 44 in Montana
Freezing nights171 a year
More freezing nights than 96% of U.S. towns29th most of 44 in Montana
Growing season126 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 98% of U.S. towns18th shortest of 42 in Montana
Month by month

Grass Range weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Grass Range’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Grass Range, MT. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January35°12°0.6"8.7"61713° – 35°
February38°14°0.5"7.8"6133° – 38°
March48°22°0.8"9.2"7819° – 43°
April56°30°1.8"4.8"8237° – 47°
May65°39°3.2"0.9"12048° – 57°
June74°47°3.1"0.0"12056° – 66°
July84°53°1.6"0.0"9059° – 75°
August83°52°1.3"0.0"7061° – 73°
September73°43°1.4"0.1"6053° – 64°
October58°32°1.2"3.4"7137° – 50°
November45°21°0.7"6.4"5822° – 42°
December36°14°0.6"8.8"51513° – 34°
Year58°32°16.8"50.1"8864
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 3° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Grass Range’s numbers come from

Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →

  • Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Grass Range’s center.
  • Snow: Grass Range, MT (NOAA station in town).
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Grass Range, MT, 0.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
  • Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  • Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
  • Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).

Common questions about Grass Range’s climate

What is the weather like in Grass Range?

A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 50 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 64% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Grass Range in winter?

January nights average 12°. About 171 nights a year reach 32° or below and 18 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.

How much snow does Grass Range get?

About 50 inches in a normal winter at Grass Range, MT, most of it in January, March and December, with snow on the ground about 64 days a year.

How hot does it get in Grass Range?

July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 53°. About 14 days a year reach 90° (Grass Range, MT).

When is the first and last frost in Grass Range?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 20 and the first fall frost by September 24, about 126 frost-free days, at Grass Range, MT.

What growing zone is Grass Range in?

Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −23°.

What is the best time of year to visit Grass Range?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Grass Range getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 65% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Grass Range.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.