Montana Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, and Butte
This month in numbers
Montana experienced a cooler and wetter June than average, with the average temperature of 13.89°C ranking as the 57th coolest June in 77 years of records, an anomaly of -1.1°C below the 1961–1990 baseline. Maximum temperatures followed a similar trend, ranking 57th coolest with an anomaly of -1.6°C. Precipitation, however, was above average at 81.79 mm, ranking as the 26th wettest June. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C.
What changed
Looking at the broader picture for April–June 2026, Montana's average temperature of 10.28°C was slightly warmer than average, ranking as the 28th warmest such period in 77 years, with an anomaly of +0.3°C. Maximum temperatures for this three-month period were also above average, ranking 24th warmest. In contrast to the state's cooler June, Montana was the 2nd coolest region globally for the latest month's anomaly, indicating a significant divergence from the widespread global warming trend.
What’s driving change?
The current weak El Niño, with an anomaly of +0.98°C, is a significant climate driver. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada during winter, which can lead to lower mountain snowpack and increased summer wildfire risk. While June saw cooler and wetter conditions, Montana officials had warned earlier in the month of an elevated wildfire risk for parts of the state due to ongoing drought, wind events, and unusually warm winter temperatures. Indeed, Montana has experienced an unusual concentration of wildfire activity recently, with five wildfire events occurring between late June and early July, representing 100% of the annual total for the past 12 months. Additionally, a flood event was logged in Montana during May and June, also representing 100% of the annual total for the past 12 months, with heavy rainfall in late May and early June causing flooding and road closures in areas like Lake County and Glacier National Park. More information on these events can be found at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
The forecast indicates that the strong El Niño is expected to persist through the autumn and into winter, which could bring hotter and drier conditions later in the summer for Montana.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USA
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) or 1991–2020 (rainfall). See methodology.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Montana
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Montana – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Montana
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Montana. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (4.9°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 28.2°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jan (+3.9°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
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Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Montana
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Montana changing?
Montana is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Montana come from?
Climate data for Montana comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Montana climate data cover?
The Montana climate profile covers Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman and surrounding areas. Montana climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Montana climate update refreshed?
The Montana climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.