Hardly any U.S. towns see harsher January nights than Prairie Elk Colony
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 87°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in June and the lightest in February. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than 95% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from October to April, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Prairie Elk Colony at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Prairie Elk Colony’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Prairie Elk Colony’s place in Montana beside it.
What a year in Prairie Elk Colony feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 125 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first by September 20. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Wolf Pt, MT, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; frost dates and degree days from Wolf Point International Airport, 12 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Prairie Elk Colony’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −30°. 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 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 Prairie Elk Colony
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Wolf Point International Airport.
Living with Prairie Elk Colony’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
125 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 16 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 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 50% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Prairie Elk Colony from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Prairie Elk Colony and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Prairie Elk Colony 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 Prairie Elk Colony averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.6°).
A bigger shift than in 61% 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 Prairie Elk Colony compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Prairie Elk Colony’s place among Montana’s.
Prairie Elk Colony weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Prairie Elk Colony’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24° | 3° | 0.3" | 2° – 28° |
| February | 30° | 7° | 0.3" | −4° – 32° |
| March | 44° | 19° | 0.5" | 15° – 43° |
| April | 59° | 30° | 0.9" | 38° – 49° |
| May | 69° | 41° | 2.2" | 50° – 62° |
| June | 78° | 51° | 2.9" | 60° – 69° |
| July | 87° | 56° | 2.0" | 63° – 79° |
| August | 86° | 54° | 1.4" | 65° – 76° |
| September | 75° | 44° | 1.0" | 54° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 31° | 0.9" | 36° – 50° |
| November | 41° | 18° | 0.3" | 16° – 39° |
| December | 28° | 7° | 0.3" | 4° – 28° |
| Year | 57° | 30° | 13.1" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -4° to 32°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Prairie Elk Colony’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 Prairie Elk Colony’s center.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Wolf Point International Airport, 12 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Wolf Pt, MT, 9 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 Prairie Elk Colony’s climate
What is the weather like in Prairie Elk Colony?
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 3°. Colder January nights than all but 113 U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 62% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Prairie Elk Colony in winter?
January nights average 3°. About 180 nights a year reach 32° or below and 34 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 2°.
How hot does it get in Prairie Elk Colony?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 56°. About 36 days a year reach 90° and 3 reach 100° (Wolf Point International Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Prairie Elk Colony?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 16 and the first fall frost by September 20, about 125 frost-free days, at Wolf Point International Airport.
What growing zone is Prairie Elk Colony in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −30°.
What is the best time of year to visit Prairie Elk Colony?
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 Prairie Elk Colony getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 61% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Prairie Elk Colony.
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.