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Climate in Wineglass · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Wineglass is drier than 94% of U.S. towns: 14 inches of precipitation a year

July afternoons average 85°. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 68° apart. In January, nights here are colder than in 76% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from October to April, in months below 50° on average.

More snow than 89% of U.S. towns#10Snowiest  of 40 in MT
Colder January nights than 76% of U.S. towns#32 coldest of 44 in MT
All MT rankings →

A year in Wineglass at a glance

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

Jan36°17° 10" snow
Feb39°17° 10" snow
Mar47°24° 9" snow
Apr55°30° 8" snow
May65°38° Last frost ~May 19Wettest
Jun74°45°
Jul85°50° 5 days 90°+
Aug83°49° 4 days 90°+
Sep73°41° First frost ~Sep 251 day 90°+
Oct58°32° 4" snow
Nov now44°24° 8" snow
Dec35°16° 12" snow

What stands out about Wineglass’ climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Wineglass’ place in Montana beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Wineglass feels like

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

Winter
37° / 17°
22 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
56° / 30°
Last frost around May 19
Summer
81° / 48°
10 days reach 90°
Fall
59° / 32°
First frost around Sep 25
Best months to be outsideJunAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 125 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first by September 25. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Livingston 12 S, MT, 10 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

158
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
40th most of 44 in Montana
More freezing nights than 90% of U.S. towns
10
nights at or below 0°
34th most of 44 in Montana
More nights at or below 0° than 85% of U.S. towns
10
days that reach 90°
8th fewest of 44 in Montana
Fewer 90° days than 75% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
5aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 5a

The 2023 USDA map puts Wineglass’ center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −18°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

27
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

5.1
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 63 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Livingston 12 S, MT, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 14 inches a year; May is the wettest month and December the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 95 days a year.

14"
Rain + melted snow a year
26th driest of 44 in Montana
Drier than 94% of U.S. towns
63"
Snow in a normal winter
10th snowiest of 40 in Montana
More snow than 89% of U.S. towns
72 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
15th most of 36 in Montana
More days with snow on the ground than 87% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

2.4"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

12"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Wineglass

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.

7,278 heating degree daysMore heating than 90% of U.S. towns
239 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 96% 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 Livingston 12 S, MT.

Living here

Living with Wineglass’ climate

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

The garden window

125 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 19 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 25.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, August and September.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Wineglass from natural hazards, avalanches are the largest share (66%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Wineglass and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Wineglass yet.

Climates most like Wineglass’, 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
Wineglass, MT17°85°14"63"
Ranchettes, WY16°85°16"65"
The Pinery, CO17°86°17"58"
Doney Park, AZ17°86°16"52"
Pocatello, ID19°87°15"64"

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 Wineglass averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.2°).

+1.4°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 55% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.0°now 27°, was 25°
Spring+1.5°now 43°, was 42°
Summer+1.1°now 64°, was 63°
Fall+1.1°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 Wineglass compares

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

Summer heat85° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 53% of U.S. towns24th coolest of 44 in Montana
Winter cold17° January low
Colder January nights than 76% of U.S. towns32nd coldest of 44 in Montana
Precipitation14" a year
Drier than 94% of U.S. towns26th driest of 44 in Montana
Snow63" a winter
More snow than 89% of U.S. towns10th snowiest of 40 in Montana
Hot days10 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 75% of U.S. towns8th fewest of 44 in Montana
Freezing nights158 a year
More freezing nights than 90% of U.S. towns40th most of 44 in Montana
Growing season125 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than all but 158 U.S. towns17th shortest of 42 in Montana
Month by month

Wineglass weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Wineglass’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Livingston 12 S, MT. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January36°17°0.5"9.6"71919° – 33°
February39°17°0.5"9.6"71513° – 38°
March47°24°0.9"9.2"8726° – 44°
April55°30°1.5"8.0"9236° – 47°
May65°38°2.4"2.4"11047° – 56°
June74°45°2.4"0.0"12054° – 66°
July85°50°1.3"0.0"8057° – 74°
August83°49°1.0"0.1"7060° – 70°
September73°41°1.3"0.3"7053° – 62°
October58°32°1.4"3.5"7237° – 51°
November44°24°0.7"7.9"6825° – 44°
December35°16°0.5"12.1"61917° – 31°
Year58°32°14.3"62.7"9572
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 13° to 38°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Wineglass’ 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 Wineglass’ center.
  • Snow: Livingston 12 S, MT.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Livingston 12 S, MT, 10 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 Wineglass’ climate

What is the weather like in Wineglass?

A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 63 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 76% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 53% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Wineglass in winter?

December nights average 16°. About 158 nights a year reach 32° or below and 10 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 17°.

How much snow does Wineglass get?

About 63 inches in a normal winter at Livingston 12 S, MT, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 72 days a year.

How hot does it get in Wineglass?

July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 50°. About 10 days a year reach 90° (Livingston 12 S, MT).

When is the first and last frost in Wineglass?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 19 and the first fall frost by September 25, about 125 frost-free days, at Livingston 12 S, MT.

What growing zone is Wineglass in?

Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −18°.

What is the best time of year to visit Wineglass?

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

Is Wineglass getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 55% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Wineglass.

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.