Facts & Figures • Climate
Updated: February 2, 2026
Temperature Extremes
Montana’s weather can swing from bitterly cold to blazing hot—and very fast.
Record‑Breaking Hot and Cold
The coldest temperature ever recorded in Montana was about 69.7 degrees below zero (often rounded to −70 °F) at Rogers Pass, north of Helena, on January 20, 1954. This is also the official cold‑temperature record for the lower 48 states.
The warmest temperature ever recorded in Montana was 117 degrees at Glendive on July 20, 1893, and again at Medicine Lake on July 5, 1937.
When you combine the −70 °F reading at Rogers Pass with the 117 °F readings at Glendive and Medicine Lake, Montana ends up with an official temperature range of about 187 degrees Fahrenheit—one of the most extreme state temperature ranges in the United States.
Wild Temperature Changes
The greatest temperature change in 24 hours occurred at Loma on January 14–15, 1972. The temperature rose 103 degrees, from −54 °F to 49 °F, a world record for a 24‑hour temperature change.
The greatest temperature change in 12 hours happened on December 14, 1924. At Fairfield, Montana, the temperature dropped from 63 °F to −21 °F by midnight. This 84‑degree change in 12 hours stands as the largest 12‑hour temperature change recorded in the United States.
At Great Falls International Airport on January 11, 1980, the temperature rose from −32 °F to 15 °F in about seven minutes when Chinook winds eroded an Arctic airmass. This 47‑degree jump in just seven minutes is cited as the fastest large temperature change recorded in the United States.
Updated: February 2, 2026