Paradise is drier than 90% of U.S. towns: 18 inches of precipitation a year
January mornings start at about 21°. Precipitation peaks in June and eases off in August. Plan time outside for May, June and September, when highs sit at 68–75°.
A year in Paradise at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Paradise’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Paradise’s place in Montana beside it.
What a year in Paradise 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 191 nights a year fall to 32° or below, and 6 to 0° or below. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Saint Regis 1 Ne, MT, 15 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Paradise’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −6°. 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 18 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and August the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Paradise
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 Saint Regis 1 Ne, MT.
Living with Paradise’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 6a, and frost can come in any month. The longest frost-free stretch in half of years is about 101 days.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September. 1.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Paradise from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (65%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 15%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Paradise and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Paradise 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 Paradise averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.4°).
A smaller shift than in 76% 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 Paradise compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Paradise’s place among Montana’s.
Paradise weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Paradise’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 21° | 1.5" | 15° – 36° |
| February | 39° | 23° | 1.6" | 16° – 38° |
| March | 49° | 27° | 1.6" | 30° – 44° |
| April | 57° | 32° | 1.6" | 40° – 49° |
| May | 68° | 40° | 1.8" | 48° – 59° |
| June | 75° | 46° | 2.1" | 57° – 67° |
| July | 86° | 51° | 0.9" | 58° – 76° |
| August | 85° | 50° | 0.8" | 63° – 71° |
| September | 74° | 43° | 1.1" | 55° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 34° | 1.8" | 38° – 52° |
| November | 41° | 27° | 1.7" | 27° – 39° |
| December | 33° | 22° | 1.8" | 21° – 32° |
| Year | 58° | 35° | 18.3" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 16° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Paradise’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 Paradise’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Saint Regis 1 Ne, MT, 15 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft higher; 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 Paradise’s climate
What is the weather like in Paradise?
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 21°. Colder January nights than 53% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 53% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Paradise in winter?
January nights average 21°. About 191 nights a year reach 32° or below and 6 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 15°.
How hot does it get in Paradise?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 51°. About 29 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Saint Regis 1 Ne, MT).
When is the first and last frost in Paradise?
There is no reliable frost-free season: at Saint Regis 1 Ne, MT, every month has nights at 32° or below, about 191 a year. In half of years the longest stretch without a freeze is about 101 days.
What growing zone is Paradise in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −6°.
What is the best time of year to visit Paradise?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Paradise getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 76% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Paradise.
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.