2025 Compare Climate & Weather:
Helena, MT vs Rochester, MN

Highlights

On average, there are 180 sunny days per year in Rochester. Helena averages 189 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Rochester, Minnesota gets 33.9 inches of rain, on average, per year. Helena, Montana gets 12.6 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38.1 inches of rain per year.

Rochester averages 48.1 inches of snow per year. Helena averages 42.1 inches of snow per year. The US average is 27.8 inches of snow per year.

Weather Highlights

Rochester, Minnesota
Summer High: the July high is around 82 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 4.8
Rain: averages 33.9 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 48.1 inches of snow a year

Helena, Montana
Summer High: the July high is around 83.4 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 13.8
Rain: averages 12.6 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 42.1 inches of snow a year

BestPlaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Rochester is 6.5 (10=best), which means it is about average compared to other places in Minnesota.

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Helena is 6.6 (10=best), which means it is about average compared to other places in Montana.

Today's Weather - Helena, MT

44°F

Today's Weather - Rochester, MN

55°F

Average Monthly High / Low (°F)

Hot, Freezing, Rainy, Snowy Days: Helena / Rochester

July is the hottest month for Helena with an average high temperature of 83.4°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Montana. In Helena, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Helena are June, August and July.

July is the hottest month for Rochester with an average high temperature of 82.0°, which ranks it as about average compared to other places in Minnesota. In Rochester, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Rochester are June, August and July.

December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Helena with an average of 13.6°. This is about average compared to other places in Montana.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Rochester with an average of 4.8°. This is warmer than most places in Minnesota.

In Helena, there are 15.5 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Montana.

In Rochester, there are 6.4 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Minnesota.

In Helena, there are 170.2 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Montana.

In Rochester, there are 165.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in Minnesota.

In Helena, there are 16.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in Montana.

In Rochester, there are 30.9 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in Minnesota.

June is the wettest month in Helena with 2.1 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 0.4 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 37% of yearly precipitation and 10% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 12.6 inches in Helena means that it is drier than most places in Montana.


August is the wettest month in Rochester with 4.7 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 0.9 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 40% of yearly precipitation and 9% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 33.9 inches in Rochester means that it is one of the wettest places in Minnesota.

May is the rainiest month in Helena with 11.0 days of rain, and February is the driest month with only 5.5 rainy days. There are 89.6 rainy days annually in Helena, which is about average compared to other places in Montana. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 21% chance of a rainy day.

May is the rainiest month in Rochester with 11.4 days of rain, and February is the driest month with only 6.4 rainy days. There are 108.7 rainy days annually in Rochester, which is rainier than most places in Minnesota. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 28% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 42.1 inches in Helena means that it is about average compared to other places in Montana.

An annual snowfall of 48.1 inches in Rochester means that it is snowier than most places in Minnesota.

March is the snowiest month in Helena with 7.4 inches of snow, and 9 months of the year have significant snowfall.

December is the snowiest month in Rochester with 11.2 inches of snow, and 7 months of the year have significant snowfall.