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Climate in Missoula, Montana: Monthly Weather Averages

By the AverageClimate Editorial Team · Last updated: October 2026

Missoula sits at 3,192 feet above sea level, and its climate, as recorded at the Missoula International Airport, MT station, runs to a yearly mean of 45.2°F. The warmest month is July, averaging 68.4°F with typical highs of 85.4°F; the coldest is December, averaging 24.4°F with lows around 17.8°F. Across a normal year the city receives 14.1 in of precipitation and 43.0 in of snow. The full month-by-month picture below comes from the official 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals — the 30-year averages the National Weather Service itself uses — so it describes the Missoula climate you should actually plan around, whether you are timing a visit, weighing a move, or just settling an argument about which month is best.

Missoula climate month by month

The table below is the complete 1991–2020 normals profile for Missoula: average high, average low and mean temperature, rainfall, and snowfall for every month. Read down the Mean column to feel the year's rhythm — Missoula's temperature range runs from 24.4°F in December to 68.4°F in July.

How to read the colors:below freezingcoldcoolmildwarmhot. Bands are colored by each cell's own temperature, so a whole year reads at a glance.

Missoula through the seasons

Winter in Missoula averages highs of 30.9–37.0°F and lows of 17.8–20.9°F, a seasonal mean of 26.1°F. The three months together bring 2.9 in of precipitation — about 21% of the city's yearly total — with December the wettest of the three at 1.08 in. Snowfall averages 30.0 in over the season, most of it in December (11.6 in). Average temperatures sit below freezing, so this is the heart of the heating season: expect snow-covered ground, icy mornings, and short, cold days as the local norm rather than the exception.

Spring in Missoula averages highs of 47.9–66.2°F and lows of 26.8–39.8°F, a seasonal mean of 44.9°F. The three months together bring 4.0 in of precipitation — about 29% of the city's yearly total — with May the wettest of the three at 1.77 in. Snowfall averages 6.6 in over the season, most of it in March (5.0 in). The season is a transition: the average temperature climbs 15.6°F from March to May, and by late spring Missoula is firmly into mild territory.

Summer in Missoula averages highs of 73.2–85.4°F and lows of 46.3–51.5°F, a seasonal mean of 65.1°F. The three months together bring 3.8 in of precipitation — about 27% of the city's yearly total — with June the wettest of the three at 2.14 in. It is a warm, usable summer: afternoons are hot enough for swimming and lake or coast time, while evenings usually cool off comfortably.

Fall in Missoula averages highs of 39.9–72.6°F and lows of 24.6–42.4°F, a seasonal mean of 44.6°F. The three months together bring 3.3 in of precipitation — about 24% of the city's yearly total — with October the wettest of the three at 1.18 in. Snowfall averages 6.4 in over the season, most of it in November (5.4 in). Temperatures ease off through the season — the monthly mean drops 25.2°F from September to November — and fall is when Missoula's weather turns crisp and dry, with the first freezes arriving by November.

Best and worst months to visit Missoula

Ranking every month by its normals — mild mean temperatures score best, heavy rain and snow count against — the most comfortable months to visit Missoula are:

JulyAugustSeptember

July leads the list: average highs of 85.4°F, lows of 51.5°F, and 0.85 in of rain, with snow a non-factor at 0.0 in. The other picks, August and September, offer the same balance in Missoula's mild stretch of the year. At the other end, December is usually the month to avoid — deep-winter cold, with a mean temperature of 24.4°F and 1.08 in of precipitation plus 11.6 in of snow.

How Missoula compares

Across the 114 cities in our dataset, the typical city averages 57.8°F for the year and 35.7 in of precipitation. Missoula runs 12.6°F cooler than that typical city and drier by 21.5 in a year, ranking #108 of 114 for annual warmth and #99 of 114 for precipitation (wettest first). Its year-round temperature swing — warmest month minus coldest — is 44.0°F, which puts it in the moderate, clearly seasonal camp.

Planning notes for Missoula

For anyone relocating: average overnight lows drop below freezing in 5 months (January, February, March, November, December), so heating, winter tires, and pipe protection are real seasonal concerns; highs reach the 80s on average in 2 months, but 90°F average highs never arrive; days and nights differ by 23.2°F on average — a big desert-style swing that rewards dressing in layers year-round; 4 months of the year average between 55°F and 80°F, the band most people find comfortable without heating or cooling. Those four facts, all straight from the normals table above, shape everything from a Missoula wardrobe to its utility bills.

Missoula climate FAQ

Source: 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) — ncei.noaa.gov. Station: Missoula International Airport, MT (USW00024153), elevation 3,192 ft. Figures checked October 2026.