Montague gets about 228 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 1 U.S. towns
Expect July afternoons of about 75°. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 98% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.5° rise. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 8 to October 1.
A year in Montague at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Montague’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Montague’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in Montague feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first by October 1. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Highmarket 2w, NY, 11 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; frost dates and degree days from Lowville, NY, 12 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Montague’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −24°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 228 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Hooker 12 Nnw, NY, is heaviest from January through February, about 58 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 50 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 190 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Montague
96% 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 Lowville, NY.
Living with Montague’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
145 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 8 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 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 27 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Montague from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (80%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 9%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Montague and its neighbors
Redfield the hottest July afternoons (77°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Montague’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montague, NY | 7° | 75° | 50" | 228" |
| Stowe, VT | 7° | 78° | 45" | 139" |
| Ishpeming, MI | 5° | 77° | 33" | 197" |
| Caribou, ME | 2° | 77° | 41" | 118" |
| Incline Village, NV | 22° | 73° | 38" | 179" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Montague averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°).
A bigger shift than in 57% 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 Montague compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Montague’s place among New York’s.
Montague weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Montague’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Hooker 12 Nnw, NY. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 7° | 4.3" | 60.6" | 22 | 30 | 2° – 25° |
| February | 27° | 8° | 3.3" | 54.7" | 18 | 29 | 3° – 25° |
| March | 36° | 16° | 3.4" | 28.4" | 17 | 30 | 17° – 39° |
| April | 50° | 29° | 3.9" | 9.6" | 15 | 14 | 33° – 45° |
| May | 63° | 41° | 4.2" | 0.6" | 15 | 0 | 46° – 58° |
| June | 71° | 50° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 75° | 55° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| August | 74° | 54° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 47° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| October | 54° | 36° | 5.4" | 2.6" | 17 | 1 | 39° – 51° |
| November | 42° | 26° | 4.6" | 20.6" | 17 | 11 | 27° – 39° |
| December | 30° | 15° | 4.6" | 50.6" | 21 | 27 | 13° – 35° |
| Year | 51° | 32° | 50.4" | 227.7" | 190 | 143 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 2° to 25°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Montague’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 Montague’s center.
- Snow: Hooker 12 Nnw, NY.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Lowville, NY, 12 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Highmarket 2w, NY, 11 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 Montague’s climate
What is the weather like in Montague?
A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 228 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 97% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Montague in winter?
January nights average 7°. About 189 nights a year reach 32° or below and 37 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 2°.
How much snow does Montague get?
About 228 inches in a normal winter at Hooker 12 Nnw, NY, heaviest from January through February, about 58 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 143 days a year.
How hot does it get in Montague?
July, with a typical high of 75°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Lowville, NY.
When is the first and last frost in Montague?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 8 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 145 frost-free days, at Lowville, NY.
What growing zone is Montague in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −24°.
What is the best time of year to visit Montague?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Montague getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 57% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Montague.
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.