Lima, MT Climate

Lima, MT has a humid continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and sunny, with temperatures averaging in the mid-80s (Fahrenheit), and occasional thunderstorms throughout the season. Winters are cold and snowy, with temperatures ranging from the teens to sub-zero in extreme cases. Spring and autumn are mild, with temperatures ranging from the 40s to mid-70s during the day. The area gets plenty of rain throughout the year, but particularly in spring and summer.

Lima, Montana gets 12 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Lima averages 55 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 177 sunny days per year in Lima. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Lima gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 83 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 80 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 6
Rain: averages 12 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 55 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Lima is 6.2 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in Montana.

8.6 Summer - 4 Winter

August, July and September are the most pleasant months in Lima, while December and January are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Lima, Montana	United States
	11.8 in.	38.1 in.
	54.9 in.	27.8 in.
	82.5 days	106.2 days
	177 days	205 days
	80.0°	85.8°
	6.4°	21.7°
	6.2	7
	4.1	4.3
	6256 ft.	2443 ft.

Climate

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Lima with an average high temperature of 80.0°, which ranks it as one of the coolest places in Montana. In Lima, there are 2 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Lima are August, July and June.

In Lima, there are 3.1 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is one of the coolest places in Montana.

December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Lima with an average of 6.2°. This is colder than most places in Montana.

In Lima, there are 234.1 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is one of the coldest places in Montana.

In Lima, there are 29.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is colder than most places in Montana.

Humidity is very low in Lima, so low that the dry air may be uncomfortable for some people. There are few days during the year when the humidity is even noticable. A very dry climate can lead to cracked, itchy skin and dry eyes.

June is the wettest month in Lima with 2.0 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 0.4 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 36% of yearly precipitation and 13% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 11.8 inches in Lima means that it is one of the driest places in Montana.

May is the rainiest month in Lima with 10.0 days of rain, and February is the driest month with only 5.2 rainy days. There are 82.5 rainy days annually in Lima, which is about average compared to other places in Montana. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 31% of the time and the driest is Winter with only a 21% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 54.9 inches in Lima means that it is snowier than most places in Montana. April is the snowiest month in Lima with 9.4 inches of snow, and 10 months of the year have significant snowfall.