Weather & Climate in Cardston, AB

Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.

Cardston has a cool climate with an average annual temperature of 45°F (7°C). Winters average 27°F in January while summers reach 68°F in July. The area gets 288 sunny days per year, well above the U.S. average of 205 / making it one of the sunnier locations in the country. Annual precipitation totals 15.1 inches (drier than the 38-inch national average). The area receives 38.1 inches of snow annually, a moderate snowfall amount. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 27 / among the cleanest air in the country. 90% of days have good air quality. The city sits at an elevation of 3,737 feet.

Temperature

27°F Jan (-3°C) 68°F Jul (20°C)

Annual Average	44.9°F
	17% below US avg
January Average	27°F (-3°C)
July Average	68°F (20°C)
Sunny Days	288 days/yr

Geography

Elevation	3,737 ft (1,139 m)
Area	1,296.7 sq mi (3,358.4 km²)
Population Density	4/sq mi
Coordinates	49.2000°N, 113.3019°W
Timezone	America/Edmonton

Precipitation & Snow

Annual Rainfall 15.1"

60% below US avg

Snowfall 38.1"

Wettest Month (Jun) 3.54"

Driest Month (Feb) 0.75"

Air Quality

AQI Median	27.0
Rating	Good
Good Days %	89.5%

Earthquake History

77 earthquakes (M2.5+) recorded within 150 km since 1990. Strongest on record: M4.6.

Mar 4, 2000	35 km S of Pincher Creek, Canada	M4.6	53 km	1 km
Mar 22, 2006	8 km SSW of Rexford, Montana	M4.3	145 km	8 km
May 2, 1995	2 km NW of Kila, Montana	M4.1	146 km	9 km
Jun 29, 1995	2 km NNW of Kila, Montana	M4.1	146 km	5 km
Apr 15, 1998	11 km NE of Swan Lake, Montana	M4.1	137 km	4 km
Apr 1, 1992	10 km ESE of Swan Lake, Montana	M4.0	150 km	5 km
May 1, 1997	35 km SSE of Magrath, Canada	M3.8	48 km	5 km
May 2, 1995	3 km WNW of Kila, Montana	M3.8	147 km	9 km
Jul 2, 1992	4 km SSE of South Browning, Montana	M3.8	80 km	10 km
Feb 28, 2000	10 km NNE of Sparwood, Canada	M3.8	131 km	10 km
Jun 5, 1991	18 km SW of Shelby, Montana	M3.6	132 km	5 km
Sep 29, 2009	42 km NW of Santa Rita, Montana	M3.6	52 km	21 km
May 10, 1990	47 km SSW of Heart Butte, Montana	M3.6	148 km	5 km
Jan 20, 2003	10 km S of Little Browning, Montana	M3.5	103 km	1 km
Apr 11, 2015	5 km NW of Columbia Falls, Montana	M3.5	112 km	13 km
Jan 3, 2008	13 km SSE of Magrath, Canada	M3.5	40 km	38 km
Jan 1, 1993	20 km WSW of Sweet Grass, Montana	M3.4	88 km	5 km
Aug 15, 1996	33 km WNW of Sweet Grass, Montana	M3.4	67 km	5 km
Nov 6, 2002	3 km SSE of Little Browning, Montana	M3.4	98 km	1 km
Jun 30, 1995	3 km NW of Kila, Montana	M3.4	147 km	9 km

Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990–2025). Sorted by magnitude.

Wildfire History

20 wildfires (100+ acres) recorded within 100 km. Largest: MOOSE (73,210 acres, 2001).

Year	Name	Acres Burned	Distance
2001	MOOSE	73,210	84 km
2003	ROBERT	54,500	90 km
2003	WEDGE CANYON	51,987	85 km
2007	SKYLAND	41,237	98 km
1988	RED BENCH	33,845	84 km
2006	RED EAGLE	32,563	59 km
2003	RAMPAGE COMPLEX (DOUBLE MOUNTAIN 2)	23,680	92 km
2015	THOMPSON	18,049	77 km
2003	TRAPPER CREEK FIRE (TRAPPER CREEK)	18,028	61 km
2017	SPRAGUE	16,897	78 km
2018	HOWE RIDGE	14,747	79 km
2021	GREENHOUSE	14,501	73 km
2003	TRAPPER CREEK FIRE (WOLF GUN)	13,920	75 km
1999	ANACONDA	11,452	78 km
1994	NORTH FORK COMPLEX (ADAIR II)	10,329	79 km
1994	NORTH FORK COMPLEX (STARVATION)	8,990	75 km
1998	KOOTENAI COMPLEX (MCDONALD)	8,061	60 km
2003	MIDDLE FORK COMPLEX (HARRISON)	6,653	88 km
2012	WYE FIRE	6,141	78 km
2002	FOX CREEK	5,949	49 km

Source: NIFC/IRWIN Wildfire Records (100+ acres).

Monthly Weather

Month	Avg Temperature	Precipitation	Summary
January	27°F (-3°C)	0.8 in
February	24°F (-4°C)	0.8 in	Driest
March	31°F (-0°C)	1.3 in
April	41°F (5°C)	1.5 in
May	51°F (10°C)	2.8 in
June	58°F (14°C)	3.5 in	Wettest
July	68°F (20°C)	1.5 in	Warmest
August	62°F (17°C)	1.7 in
September	53°F (12°C)	2.0 in
October	44°F (7°C)	1.1 in
November	30°F (-1°C)	0.9 in
December	22°F (-6°C)	0.8 in	Coldest

Cardston has a seasonal temperature swing of 45°F / from 22°F in December to 68°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 18.7 inches, with June being the wettest month (3.5") and February the driest (0.8").

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