The 6 Coldest Places in Montana Will Chill You to Your Core

Winters are a fantastic thing in the United States. Some states experience harsh winters, while others have sunny, amazing winters. States like North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and even Idaho will experience snowy winters that can get extremely cold. When it comes to Montana, some places are so cold, that you will be frozen stiff. Let’s take a look at the six coldest places in Montana that will chill you to your core.

Rogers Pass, MT

Rogers Pass, MT is the coldest place in the state. It is a mountain pass, which means that no people are living there, however many people do go to Rogers Pass to experience a winter wonderland. The reason why it’s the coldest place in Montana is because on January 20, 1954, it recorded the lowest temperature and the contiguous United States with a whopping negative 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Since 1954, however, Rogers Pass has not experienced temperatures that cold.

Butte-Silver Bow, MT

Located in southwestern Montana, Butte is a consolidated city-county called Butte-Silver Bow. The city has a population of about 34,000 people. Established as a mining town in the 1860s, it is one of the coldest places in Montana. Butte has a semi-arid type of climate where winters are long and extremely frigid. January averages around 20 degrees with many nights falling below 0 degrees. The coldest month on record was January 1937, but the coldest temperature ever recorded was -52 degrees on both February 9, 1933 and December 23, 1983.

Wisdom, MT

If you have any wisdom, you will bring extra layers to Wisdom, MT. Why? Because it’s one of the coldest places in the state. It has an elevation of more than 5,000 feet and the average winter temperatures are nearly freezing. The town has a sub-alpine type of climate and during the winter, you can generally see temperatures reach sometime between 0 and -25 degrees. The record came on December 23, 1983, when temperatures reached -55 degrees. Wisdom, MT has a population of about 100 people and they are mainly ranchers and those who love being one with nature.

Choteau, MT

The town of Choteau, MT has about 1,721 people living there. Named for the French trader and explorer Pierre Choteau, the town has been around since the 1870s. Today, the town is popular for those who love fishing and hunting. Located in central Montana, Choteau has an elevation of more than 4,000 ft, and the average temperatures in this town are between 13 to 14 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months. The average snowfall that Choteau receives is about 47 inches per year.

West Yellowstone, MT

Located in southwestern Montana, West Yellowstone is close to Yellowstone National Park. As such, its landscapes and mountains are a gorgeous sight to see, especially because you are at 6,000 feet in elevation. West Yellowstone has a population of about 1,270 people and it’s a popular tourist town because of its proximity to Yellowstone National Park. West Yellowstone has a subarctic type of climate and its winters are extremely cold. The coldest month is January with average temperatures of 0 and 24 degrees. West Yellowstone has the lowest recorded temperature (for a residential area) in the contiguous United States with a whopping -66 degrees Fahrenheit.

Browning, MT

Located in Northern Montana, Browning was disincorporated as a town in 2018 when the town became financially unstable. However, Browning has a population of 1,000 people and is located within the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The community has a subarctic type of climate during winter. Temperatures can fall to negative numbers and in fact, the town holds the record for having the world’s most drastic temperature drop in one day. The temperature went from 44 degrees to -56 degrees. The averages, however, are usually somewhere between 8 and 40 degrees during winter.

Conclusion

And there you have it, these are the six coldest places in Montana that will chill you to your core. These places have experienced some extreme temperatures that will leave you flabbergasted. Some temperatures reach freezing numbers and stay like that for many many weeks. Although the people that live in these cities and towns are used to it, if you ever go and visit, make sure you are prepared. Bring thick jackets and extra layers, and do everything possible to make your stay in these six cold places in Montana as comfortable and as warm as possible.

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