As We Freeze In Montana Today, Here Are Some Fun Weather Facts

As I sit here this morning, I'm still waiting for my toes to warm up.

Currently, with the wind chill, it is 27 below zero as I type this. However, there is good news on the horizon.  This cold snap is temporary and it looks like we should be at warmer temps by this weekend.

Of course, 27 below is nothing compared to the coldest day in history for Montana.

Back on January 20th, 1954 it reached 70 below zero at Rodgers Pass north of Helena. By the way, that's the actual temperature, without the wind chill. So that's the coldest day in Montana history, so how about the hottest?

The hottest day on record here in Montana took place in Medicine Lake back on July 5th, 1937. How hot did it get?  117 degrees. I for one would rather deal with the cold than the heat.  You know the saying, "You can always put on more clothes, you can only take so many off."

We've discussed the extremes, so how about the averages?

Well, according to weather-us.com, the coldest month of the year here in Montana is the month of January. Although, the temps vary quite a bit depending on which part of Montana you are in. In the eastern part of Montana, the January average can get down to 2 degrees, while in the western part of the state, we can see an average of 22.

The warmest month of the year in Montana is the month of July. High temperatures average out right around 82 for the state. Although temps can and often will flirt with triple digits during the summer months.

How much snow do we average per year here in Montana?

The average snowfall for the state is 48.8 inches, which is about 20 inches more than the average for the United States. So, how about sunshine?  How does Montana do when it comes to sunny days?  We get right around 190 days of sunshine a year here in Montana, which is about 2 weeks less than the national average.

So, while it is crazy cold today, the good news is we can expect warmer temps by the weekend. Stay warm out there.