Counties in Montana by average annual temperature

Lake County had the highest average annual temperature of 56 counties in 2018, at 44.1 °F. Daniels County had the lowest, at 37.5 °F. The median was 41.3 °F and the figure for Montana was 41.3 °F. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest44.1Lake County
Lowest37.5Daniels County
Median41.356 counties
Montana41.3History

Map of counties, 2018

Beaverhead County: 38.5 °FBig Horn County: 43.9 °FBlaine County: 40.6 °FBroadwater County: 42.3 °FCarbon County: 42.2 °FCarter County: 42.2 °FCascade County: 42 °FChouteau County: 41.9 °FCuster County: 43.1 °FDaniels County: 37.5 °FDawson County: 41.4 °FDeer Lodge County: 38.8 °FFallon County: 41.8 °FFergus County: 42.3 °FFlathead County: 40.6 °FGallatin County: 39.8 °FGarfield County: 42.1 °FGlacier County: 39.1 °FGolden Valley County: 42.1 °FGranite County: 39.8 °FHill County: 39.2 °FJefferson County: 41.2 °FJudith Basin County: 40.9 °FLake County: 44.1 °FLewis and Clark County: 40.7 °FLiberty County: 39.7 °FLincoln County: 42.5 °FMcCone County: 41.2 °FMadison County: 40.3 °FMeagher County: 39.8 °FMineral County: 42.6 °FMissoula County: 41.8 °FMusselshell County: 42.9 °FPark County: 39.2 °FPetroleum County: 43.9 °FPhillips County: 41.1 °FPondera County: 40.8 °FPowder River County: 43.8 °FPowell County: 40 °FPrairie County: 42.1 °FRavalli County: 41 °FRichland County: 40.7 °FRoosevelt County: 39.5 °FRosebud County: 42.8 °FSanders County: 43.3 °FSheridan County: 38 °FSilver Bow County: 40.3 °FStillwater County: 41.6 °FSweet Grass County: 41.6 °FTeton County: 41 °FToole County: 40.5 °FTreasure County: 43.3 °FValley County: 39.4 °FWheatland County: 41.6 °FWibaux County: 41.3 °FYellowstone County: 44.1 °F
  • Under 40
  • 40 to 41
  • 41 to 42
  • 42 to 43
  • 43 and over
°F, 2018. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2018

Lake County: 44.1 °FLake County44.1Yellowstone County: 44.1 °FYellowstone County44.1Big Horn County: 43.9 °FBig Horn County43.9Petroleum County: 43.9 °FPetroleum County43.9Powder River County: 43.8 °FPowder River County43.8Sanders County: 43.3 °FSanders County43.3Treasure County: 43.3 °FTreasure County43.3Custer County: 43.1 °FCuster County43.1Musselshell County: 42.9 °FMusselshell County42.9Rosebud County: 42.8 °FRosebud County42.8Mineral County: 42.6 °FMineral County42.6Lincoln County: 42.5 °FLincoln County42.5Broadwater County: 42.3 °FBroadwater County42.3Fergus County: 42.3 °FFergus County42.3Carbon County: 42.2 °FCarbon County42.2Carter County: 42.2 °FCarter County42.2Garfield County: 42.1 °FGarfield County42.1Golden Valley County: 42.1 °FGolden Valley County42.1Prairie County: 42.1 °FPrairie County42.1Cascade County: 42 °FCascade County42Chouteau County: 41.9 °FChouteau County41.9Fallon County: 41.8 °FFallon County41.8Missoula County: 41.8 °FMissoula County41.8Stillwater County: 41.6 °FStillwater County41.6Sweet Grass County: 41.6 °FSweet Grass County41.6Wheatland County: 41.6 °FWheatland County41.6Dawson County: 41.4 °FDawson County41.4Wibaux County: 41.3 °FWibaux County41.3Jefferson County: 41.2 °FJefferson County41.2McCone County: 41.2 °FMcCone County41.2Phillips County: 41.1 °FPhillips County41.1Ravalli County: 41 °FRavalli County41Teton County: 41 °FTeton County41Judith Basin County: 40.9 °FJudith Basin County40.9Pondera County: 40.8 °FPondera County40.8Lewis and Clark County: 40.7 °FLewis and Clark County40.7Richland County: 40.7 °FRichland County40.7Blaine County: 40.6 °FBlaine County40.6Flathead County: 40.6 °FFlathead County40.6Toole County: 40.5 °FToole County40.5Madison County: 40.3 °FMadison County40.3Silver Bow County: 40.3 °FSilver Bow County40.3Powell County: 40 °FPowell County40Gallatin County: 39.8 °FGallatin County39.8Granite County: 39.8 °FGranite County39.8Meagher County: 39.8 °FMeagher County39.8Liberty County: 39.7 °FLiberty County39.7Roosevelt County: 39.5 °FRoosevelt County39.5Valley County: 39.4 °FValley County39.4Hill County: 39.2 °FHill County39.2Park County: 39.2 °FPark County39.2Glacier County: 39.1 °FGlacier County39.1Deer Lodge County: 38.8 °FDeer Lodge County38.8Beaverhead County: 38.5 °FBeaverhead County38.5Sheridan County: 38 °FSheridan County38Daniels County: 37.5 °FDaniels County37.5Lake County: 44.1 °FLake County44.1Yellowstone County: 44.1 °FYellowstone County44.1Big Horn County: 43.9 °FBig Horn County43.9Petroleum County: 43.9 °FPetroleum County43.9Powder River County: 43.8 °FPowder River County43.8Sanders County: 43.3 °FSanders County43.3Treasure County: 43.3 °FTreasure County43.3Custer County: 43.1 °FCuster County43.1Musselshell County: 42.9 °FMusselshell County42.9Rosebud County: 42.8 °FRosebud County42.8Mineral County: 42.6 °FMineral County42.6Lincoln County: 42.5 °FLincoln County42.5Broadwater County: 42.3 °FBroadwater County42.3Fergus County: 42.3 °FFergus County42.3Carbon County: 42.2 °FCarbon County42.2Carter County: 42.2 °FCarter County42.2Garfield County: 42.1 °FGarfield County42.1Golden Valley County: 42.1 °FGolden Valley County42.1Prairie County: 42.1 °FPrairie County42.1Cascade County: 42 °FCascade County42Chouteau County: 41.9 °FChouteau County41.9Fallon County: 41.8 °FFallon County41.8Missoula County: 41.8 °FMissoula County41.8Stillwater County: 41.6 °FStillwater County41.6Sweet Grass County: 41.6 °FSweet Grass County41.6Wheatland County: 41.6 °FWheatland County41.6Dawson County: 41.4 °FDawson County41.4Wibaux County: 41.3 °FWibaux County41.3Jefferson County: 41.2 °FJefferson County41.2McCone County: 41.2 °FMcCone County41.2Phillips County: 41.1 °FPhillips County41.1Ravalli County: 41 °FRavalli County41Teton County: 41 °FTeton County41Judith Basin County: 40.9 °FJudith Basin County40.9Pondera County: 40.8 °FPondera County40.8Lewis and Clark County: 40.7 °FLewis and Clark County40.7Richland County: 40.7 °FRichland County40.7Blaine County: 40.6 °FBlaine County40.6Flathead County: 40.6 °FFlathead County40.6Toole County: 40.5 °FToole County40.5Madison County: 40.3 °FMadison County40.3Silver Bow County: 40.3 °FSilver Bow County40.3Powell County: 40 °FPowell County40Gallatin County: 39.8 °FGallatin County39.8Granite County: 39.8 °FGranite County39.8Meagher County: 39.8 °FMeagher County39.8Liberty County: 39.7 °FLiberty County39.7Roosevelt County: 39.5 °FRoosevelt County39.5Valley County: 39.4 °FValley County39.4Hill County: 39.2 °FHill County39.2Park County: 39.2 °FPark County39.2Glacier County: 39.1 °FGlacier County39.1Deer Lodge County: 38.8 °FDeer Lodge County38.8Beaverhead County: 38.5 °FBeaverhead County38.5Sheridan County: 38 °FSheridan County38Daniels County: 37.5 °FDaniels County37.5
°F. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018
°F
Change on 2017
1Lake County44.1+0.5%
1Yellowstone County44.1-5.4%
3Big Horn County43.9-4.6%
3Petroleum County43.9-6.2%
5Powder River County43.8-6.2%
6Sanders County43.3+0.7%
6Treasure County43.3-6.9%
8Custer County43.1-7.1%
9Musselshell County42.9-6.1%
10Rosebud County42.8-7%
11Mineral County42.6-0.2%
12Lincoln County42.5+0.7%
13Broadwater County42.3-2.3%
13Fergus County42.3-5.6%
15Carbon County42.2-3.2%
15Carter County42.2-6.2%
17Garfield County42.1-7.3%
17Golden Valley County42.1-6%
17Prairie County42.1-7.1%
20Cascade County42-3.7%
21Chouteau County41.9-5.2%
22Fallon County41.8-6.1%
22Missoula County41.8-0.5%
24Stillwater County41.6-4.6%
24Sweet Grass County41.6-3.5%
24Wheatland County41.6-4.6%
27Dawson County41.4-6.8%
28Wibaux County41.3-6.1%
29Jefferson County41.2-2.1%
29McCone County41.2-6.6%
31Phillips County41.1-8.1%
32Ravalli County41+0.2%
32Teton County41-2.8%
34Judith Basin County40.9-3.5%
35Pondera County40.8-3.3%
36Lewis and Clark County40.7-2.4%
36Richland County40.7-6.7%
38Blaine County40.6-7.1%
38Flathead County40.6+0.2%
40Toole County40.5-4.7%
41Madison County40.3-1.5%
41Silver Bow County40.3-1.2%
43Powell County40-2.2%
44Gallatin County39.8-1.7%
44Granite County39.8-1.5%
44Meagher County39.8-2.9%
47Liberty County39.7-6.1%
48Roosevelt County39.5-7.5%
49Valley County39.4-7.7%
50Hill County39.2-7.3%
50Park County39.2-2.5%
52Glacier County39.1-2.2%
53Deer Lodge County38.8-1.5%
54Beaverhead County38.5-1%
55Sheridan County38-8.7%
56Daniels County37.5-7.9%

Other periods

About this ranking

Mean air temperature from January to December, in degrees Fahrenheit: the average of the 12 monthly mean temperatures. NOAA computes it from its climate divisional dataset (nClimDiv): station readings interpolated onto a 5 km grid and averaged over the area.

Values are area averages, so a county with mountains and valleys has one value for very different local climates. NOAA revises the last two years every month.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2026). NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties (Counties in Montana by average annual temperature, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping

MLA 9

NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties, Counties in Montana by average annual temperature, 2018. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 6 Oct. 2026, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-annual-temperature/montana-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 2026. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. Counties in Montana by average annual temperature, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-annual-temperature/montana-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties, Counties in Montana by average annual temperature, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-annual-temperature/montana-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_montana_by_2018,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties: Counties in Montana by average annual temperature, 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-annual-temperature/montana-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
TI  - NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties: Counties in Montana by average annual temperature, 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-annual-temperature/montana-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-annual-temperature/montana-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest average annual temperature?

Lake County, with 44.1 °F in 2018, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest average annual temperature?

Daniels County, with 37.5 °F in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average annual temperature: other rankings

Counties in Montana: more rankings