Montana weather in January

Thinking about venturing to Montana this January and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:

What is the weather like in Montana in January?

Montana is a region in the United States of America. January in Montana generally has temperatures that range from very cold to cold, with precipitation levels ranging from almost none to moderate. The month of January is in the winter season.

During the day the temperature is very cold in West Yellowstone at -3°C and cold in Columbus at 5°C. As night falls, temperatures generally drop to -10°C in Columbus and -16°C in West Yellowstone. In many regions in the United States of America, January is characterized by its biting cold temperatures. If you're venturing into these areas during this time, it's crucial to be adequately prepared. Ensure you layer up with warm clothing to fight off the chill and stay comfortable.

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From almost no snow/rainfall in Dillon with an average of 4.9 mm to moderate snow/rainfall in Lolo Hot Springs with 82 mm.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of Montana in January, check out the map below. For more details on the yearly weather, visit our Montana climate page.

Where to go in Montana in January

Weather conditions Weather

Temperatures

Precipitation

Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.

Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

Popular destinations in Montana

What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Montana?

Average weather in Whitefish

In January Whitefish generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -0°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -8°C and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Whitefish

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly snowfall Snowfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

-1°C 

-8°C 

59 mm 

17 days 

poor 

January January

-0°C 

-8°C 

55 mm 

16 days 

poor 

February   >> February
>>  

2°C 

-8°C 

32 mm 

14 days 

poor 

Climate in Whitefish

Average weather in Billings

In January Billings generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -8°C and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Billings

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly snow/rainfall Snow/rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

2°C 

-9°C 

116 hours 

16 mm 

6 days 

poor 

January January

4°C 

-8°C 

130 hours 

12 mm 

5 days 

poor 

February   >> February
>>  

5°C 

-8°C 

157 hours 

11 mm 

6 days 

poor 

Climate in Billings

Average weather in Great Falls

In January Great Falls generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Great Falls

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly snow/rainfall Snow/rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

2°C 

-9°C 

108 hours 

18 mm 

7 days 

poor 

January January

3°C 

-7°C 

130 hours 

17 mm 

7 days 

poor 

February   >> February
>>  

3°C 

-8°C 

152 hours 

15 mm 

8 days 

poor 

Climate in Great Falls

Average weather in Helena

In January Helena generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 2°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -9°C and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Helena

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly snow/rainfall Snow/rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

-0°C 

-10°C 

100 hours 

21 mm 

14 days 

poor 

January January

2°C 

-9°C 

119 hours 

17 mm 

11 days 

poor 

February   >> February
>>  

3°C 

-8°C 

149 hours 

18 mm 

12 days 

poor 

Climate in Helena

Average weather in Red Lodge

In January Red Lodge generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -8°C and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Red Lodge

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly snow/rainfall Snow/rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

2°C 

-9°C 

31 mm 

10 days 

poor 

January January

4°C 

-8°C 

21 mm 

8 days 

poor 

February   >> February
>>  

2°C 

-9°C 

25 mm 

9 days 

poor 

Climate in Red Lodge

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Montana, in the United States of America.

Is January the best time to visit Montana?

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Whitefish, January may not be the ideal time to visit Montana.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, July, August and September offering mostly perfect weather in Whitefish. The weather in January, February, March, November and December, on the other hand, tends to be poor.