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2024 Compare Climate & Weather:
Plains, MT vs Columbia Falls, MT

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Highlights

On average, there are 152 sunny days per year in Columbia Falls. Plains averages 154 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Columbia Falls, Montana gets 18.2 inches of rain, on average, per year. Plains, Montana gets 18.9 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38.1 inches of rain per year.

Columbia Falls averages 56.5 inches of snow per year. Plains averages 39.4 inches of snow per year. The US average is 27.8 inches of snow per year.


Weather Highlights

Columbia Falls, Montana
Summer High:
the July high is around 80.7 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 16.3
Rain: averages 18.2 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 56.5 inches of snow a year

Plains, Montana
Summer High:
the July high is around 86 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 20.9
Rain: averages 18.9 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 39.4 inches of snow a year


BESTPLACES COMFORT INDEX
Columbia Falls

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Columbia Falls is 6.3 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in Montana.

6.3 / 10
July, August and June are the most pleasant months in Columbia Falls, while December and January are the least comfortable months.

Plains

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

6.6 / 10
July, June and September are the most pleasant months in Plains, while December and January are the least comfortable months.


Today's Weather - Plains, MT

10 AM PST

Sunny

69°F

DAYDESCRIPTIONHIGH / LOWWIND
TodaySunny83° / 50°W 1 to 5 mph
FridaySunny85° / 51°SW 3 mph
SaturdaySunny87° / 54°NE 3 mph
SundayMostly Sunny86° / 55°ENE 3 mph
MondayMostly Sunny84° / 51°WSW 1 to 6 mph
TuesdaySunny85° / 51°WSW 2 to 7 mph
WednesdaySunny84° / 50°WSW 2 to 7 mph

Today's Weather - Columbia Falls, MT

10 AM PST

Sunny

61°F

DAYDESCRIPTIONHIGH / LOWWIND
TodaySunny76° / 48°SSW 5 to 8 mph
FridaySunny79° / 48°S 2 to 6 mph
SaturdaySunny80° / 49°ENE 6 mph
SundayMostly Sunny80° / 52°ENE 6 mph
MondayMostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms79° / 50°SSW 2 to 8 mph
TuesdaySunny80° / 50°SSW 2 to 12 mph
WednesdaySunny79° / 49°SSW 2 to 12 mph

Average Monthly High / Low (°F)
MonthPlains, MTColumbia Falls, MT
January35° / 21°31° / 16°
February41° / 22°36° / 18°
March51° / 27°45° / 25°
April60° / 32°56° / 31°
May69° / 39°65° / 39°
June76° / 45°71° / 45°
July86° / 49°81° / 49°
August86° / 48°81° / 48°
September75° / 41°69° / 39°
October59° / 33°55° / 30°
November43° / 26°40° / 24°
December33° / 19°30° / 16°

Hot, Freezing, Rainy, Snowy Days: Plains / Columbia Falls
MonthHot DaysFreezing DaysRainy DaysSnowy Days
January0 / 028 / 2913 / 136 / 10
February0 / 024 / 2611 / 104 / 6
March0 / 024 / 2612 / 113 / 4
April0 / 015 / 1711 / 111 / 2
May1 / 05 / 513 / 120 / 0
June2 / 01 / 011 / 130 / 0
July11 / 40 / 07 / 70 / 0
August11 / 50 / 06 / 70 / 0
September2 / 03 / 38 / 80 / 0
October0 / 014 / 1810 / 90 / 1
November0 / 022 / 2514 / 123 / 5
December0 / 028 / 3013 / 147 / 10
July is the hottest month for Plains with an average high temperature of 86.0°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in Montana. In Plains, there are 2 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Plains are June, September and August.

August is the hottest month for Columbia Falls with an average high temperature of 80.9°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Montana. In Columbia Falls, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Columbia Falls are July, August and June.


December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Plains with an average of 19.4°. This is warmer than most places in Montana.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Columbia Falls with an average of 16.3°. This is warmer than most places in Montana.



In Plains, there are 26.5 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Montana.

In Columbia Falls, there are 9.4 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Montana.



In Plains, there are 164.9 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Montana.

In Columbia Falls, there are 180.3 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in Montana.



In Plains, there are 5.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in Montana.

In Columbia Falls, there are 9.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in Montana.



November is the wettest month in Plains with 2.3 inches of rain, and the driest month is July with 1.0 inches. The wettest season is Winter with 27% of yearly precipitation and 22% occurs in Autumn, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 18.9 inches in Plains means that it is wetter than most places in Montana.


June is the wettest month in Columbia Falls with 2.8 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 1.1 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 30% of yearly precipitation and 22% occurs in Winter, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 18.2 inches in Columbia Falls means that it is wetter than most places in Montana.


November is the rainiest month in Plains with 14.3 days of rain, and August is the driest month with only 6.3 rainy days. There are 129.5 rainy days annually in Plains, which is one of the rainiest places in Montana. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 19% chance of a rainy day.

December is the rainiest month in Columbia Falls with 13.8 days of rain, and August is the driest month with only 6.8 rainy days. There are 127.3 rainy days annually in Columbia Falls, which is one of the rainiest places in Montana. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 21% chance of a rainy day.



An annual snowfall of 39.4 inches in Plains means that it is about average compared to other places in Montana.

An annual snowfall of 56.5 inches in Columbia Falls means that it is snowier than most places in Montana.



December is the snowiest month in Plains with 13.0 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.

December is the snowiest month in Columbia Falls with 18.0 inches of snow, and 7 months of the year have significant snowfall.


DID YOU KNOW?

Many people confuse Weather and Climate, but they are different. Weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, while Climate refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a long period of time.

Weather, more specifically, refers to how the atmosphere behaves and its effects on life and human activities. Most people think of Weather in terms of what can be observed: temperature, humidity, precipitation, and cloudy/sunny conditions. Weather conditions constantly change on a minute-to-minute basis.

Climate is a record of the average weather conditions for a given place over a long period of time, often referred to as Climate Normals. A 30-year period of record is a common requirement to be considered a Climate Normal.


Reviews for Plains    2 Reviews

Over 15 years ago

Hi. I'd like to know if you still feel the same way about living in Broomfield. I went there this past July to check it out (along with Lafayette, Boulder (can't  More

   |    Reply

Over 15 years ago

Apex is perfect for what you are looking for. It's close enough to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill to find a job and Cary the next town over, is a little more expensive but  More

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Start Your Review of Plains

Reviews for Columbia Falls    2 Reviews

Over 15 years ago

Hi. I'd like to know if you still feel the same way about living in Broomfield. I went there this past July to check it out (along with Lafayette, Boulder (can't  More

   |    Reply

Over 15 years ago

Apex is perfect for what you are looking for. It's close enough to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill to find a job and Cary the next town over, is a little more expensive but  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Columbia Falls

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ZIPS IN PLAINS, MONTANA
59859
ZIPS IN COLUMBIA FALLS, MONTANA
59912

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