Montana Weather Extremes: How Crazy Does It Get?

Mother Nature is known for her mood swings, and here in Montana, you never know what she'll have in store. You could have hot summer temperatures one day, and a winter weather warning two days later.

Those of us living in Montana, know this all too well as witnessed recently.

Weather in Montana is a big deal as its impact is far-reaching. From travel to farming and ranching to our recreational activities, the weather plays a key factor in much of what we do and how we live our lives. Things like vehicle emergency road kits are a must if you're going to live in Big Sky Country.

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With different parts of the country dealing with all kinds of weather-related issues, we wanted to know just how extreme the weather is in Montana, so we decided to do some research on the matter.

What are the most extreme temperatures in Montana's history?

Let's start with the hottest day on record.  The hottest day in Montana's history happened in 1893 in Glendive and again in 1937 near Medicine Lake when the temperature rose to 117 degrees. While Montana will occasionally hit the triple digits, the thought of almost 120 degrees seems a bit unbearable.

What about the coldest day? When and where did that happen?

The coldest day on record in Montana happened in 1954 at Rogers Pass when the temperature dropped to 70 below zero. Now you might be thinking that we've had temps that cold before, and while that's true, keep in mind those were with the windchill factored in, not the actual temperature.

If you're considering moving to Montana to escape the heat or the cold, keep that in mind before you book that Uhaul.