Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Jackson
The depth of winter brings overnight lows near 9°. Its January nights bite harder than in 95% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. Central heating does most of its work from September to May, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Jackson at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Jackson’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Jackson’s place in Montana beside it.
What a year in Jackson feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
A freeze is possible in every month
About 250 nights a year fall to 32° or below, and 32 to 0° or below. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Jackson, MT, 0.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Jackson’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −26°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 13 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Jackson
Nearly all of the work is heating: a normal year has almost no cooling days. Months averaging under 55° run from September through June.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Jackson, MT.
Living with Jackson’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 4a, and frost can come in any month. The longest frost-free stretch in half of years is about 51 days.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: July.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Jackson from natural hazards, avalanches are the largest share (41%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Jackson and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Jackson yet.
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 Jackson averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°).
A smaller shift than in 60% 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 Jackson compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Jackson’s place among Montana’s.
Jackson weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Jackson’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 9° | 0.7" | 11° – 25° |
| February | 31° | 9° | 0.6" | 13° – 29° |
| March | 40° | 17° | 0.8" | 22° – 35° |
| April | 47° | 23° | 1.3" | 29° – 41° |
| May | 57° | 31° | 1.8" | 37° – 48° |
| June | 65° | 37° | 2.1" | 46° – 57° |
| July | 76° | 42° | 1.0" | 50° – 65° |
| August | 75° | 40° | 0.9" | 52° – 61° |
| September | 65° | 33° | 1.1" | 46° – 54° |
| October | 51° | 25° | 1.1" | 30° – 44° |
| November | 36° | 16° | 0.9" | 17° – 33° |
| December | 27° | 8° | 0.8" | 11° – 24° |
| Year | 50° | 24° | 13.0" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 17° to 33°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Jackson’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 Jackson’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jackson, 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 Jackson’s climate
What is the weather like in Jackson?
A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 9°. Colder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Jackson in winter?
December nights average 8°. About 250 nights a year reach 32° or below and 32 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 11°.
How hot does it get in Jackson?
July, with a typical high of 76°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Jackson, MT.
When is the first and last frost in Jackson?
There is no reliable frost-free season: at Jackson, MT, every month has nights at 32° or below, about 250 a year. In half of years the longest stretch without a freeze is about 51 days.
What growing zone is Jackson in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −26°.
What is the best time of year to visit Jackson?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), July. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Jackson getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 60% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Jackson.
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.