Heron gets about 84 inches of snow a winter, more than 96% of U.S. towns
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 83° on average. It is a dry place: less rain and snow fall here than on 85% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. Tender plants can go out after about May 9; in half of years the first frost comes by October 8.
A year in Heron at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Heron’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Heron’s place in Montana beside it.
What a year in Heron feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 153 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first by October 8. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Cabinet Gorge, ID, 4 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Heron’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −4°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 84 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Heron 2 Nw, MT, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 30 inches a year; December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 154 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Heron
97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Cabinet Gorge, ID.
Living with Heron’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
153 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 9 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 8.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 0.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Heron from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (65%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 14%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Heron and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Heron yet.
Climates most like Heron’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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heron, MT | 23° | 83° | 30" | 84" |
| Lewiston, NY | 19° | 81° | 34" | 72" |
| Norton Shores, MI | 19° | 82° | 36" | 87" |
| Cleveland, OH | 23° | 82° | 38" | 64" |
| Michigan City, IN | 19° | 82° | 39" | 65" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Heron averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.9°).
A smaller shift than in 64% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Heron compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Heron’s place among Montana’s.
Heron weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Heron’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Heron 2 Nw, MT. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 23° | 3.7" | 26.5" | 18 | 30 | 20° – 33° |
| February | 38° | 23° | 2.5" | 12.3" | 13 | 25 | 21° – 37° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 3.0" | 10.9" | 14 | 19 | 32° – 44° |
| April | 57° | 33° | 2.3" | 1.3" | 13 | 2 | 39° – 51° |
| May | 67° | 40° | 2.4" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| June | 72° | 45° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| July | 83° | 49° | 1.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 72° |
| August | 82° | 48° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| September | 72° | 41° | 1.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| October | 56° | 34° | 2.9" | 0.7" | 13 | 0 | 40° – 51° |
| November | 41° | 29° | 3.8" | 7.9" | 16 | 7 | 29° – 40° |
| December | 33° | 23° | 3.9" | 24.6" | 18 | 24 | 22° – 33° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 30.3" | 84.3" | 154 | 107 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 37°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Heron’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 Heron’s center.
- Snow: Heron 2 Nw, MT (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Cabinet Gorge, ID, 4 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft lower; 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 Heron’s climate
What is the weather like in Heron?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 84 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 54% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 76% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Heron in winter?
January nights average 23°. About 149 nights a year reach 32° or below and 2 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 20°.
How much snow does Heron get?
About 84 inches in a normal winter at Heron 2 Nw, MT, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 107 days a year.
How hot does it get in Heron?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 49°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Cabinet Gorge, ID).
When is the first and last frost in Heron?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 9 and the first fall frost by October 8, about 153 frost-free days, at Cabinet Gorge, ID.
What growing zone is Heron in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −4°.
What is the best time of year to visit Heron?
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 Heron getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 64% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Heron.
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.