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Weather & Climate in Heart Butte, MT
Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.
Heart Butte has a cool climate with an average annual temperature of 39°F (4°C). Winters average 22°F in January while summers reach 60°F in July. The area gets 248 sunny days per year, above the national average. Annual precipitation totals 30.4 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 26 / among the cleanest air in the country. The city sits at an elevation of 4,439 feet.
Temperature
22°F Jan (-6°C)
60°F Jul (16°C)
| Annual Average | 38.8°F |
| 28% below US avg | |
| January Average | 22°F (-6°C) |
| July Average | 60°F (16°C) |
| Sunny Days | 248 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 4,439 ft (1,353 m) |
| Area | 4.6 sq mi (11.8 km²) |
| Population Density | 111/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 48.2896°N, 112.8338°W |
| Timezone | America/Denver |
| County | Pondera County County |
| Nearest Airport | Cut Bank International (CTB) 30 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 26.0 |
| Rating | Good |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Very Low |
| Risk Score | 24.6 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 95.3 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 49.3 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Very Low |
| Earthquake | Very Low |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low |
| Flood | Very Low |
| Hail | Very Low |
| Strong Wind | Very Low |
| Heat Wave | Very Low |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate |
| Lightning | Very Low |
| Ice Storm | Very Low |
| Drought | Relatively Low |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate |
| Landslide | Very Low |
| Avalanche | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Earthquake History
183 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 | 132 km | 1 km |
| Jun 29, 1995 | 2 km NNW of Kila, Montana | M4.1 | 122 km | 5 km |
| May 2, 1995 | 2 km NW of Kila, Montana | M4.1 | 123 km | 9 km |
| Apr 15, 1998 | 11 km NE of Swan Lake, Montana | M4.1 | 75 km | 4 km |
| Jul 19, 2002 | 43 km NE of Seeley Lake, Montana | M4.0 | 97 km | 25 km |
| Apr 1, 1992 | 10 km ESE of Swan Lake, Montana | M4.0 | 80 km | 5 km |
| Aug 16, 1994 | 27 km W of Chester, Montana | M3.9 | 113 km | 5 km |
| Jun 2, 1996 | 37 km N of Ovando, Montana | M3.9 | 106 km | 5 km |
| May 1, 1997 | 35 km SSE of Magrath, Canada | M3.8 | 94 km | 5 km |
| Mar 21, 1992 | 20 km NE of Seeley Lake, Montana | M3.8 | 116 km | 5 km |
| Jul 5, 2024 | 24 km ENE of Seeley Lake, Montana | M3.8 | 115 km | 22 km |
| Jul 2, 1992 | 4 km SSE of South Browning, Montana | M3.8 | 27 km | 10 km |
| Sep 26, 2004 | 14 km WSW of Pablo, Montana | M3.8 | 136 km | 17 km |
| May 2, 1995 | 3 km WNW of Kila, Montana | M3.8 | 124 km | 9 km |
| May 7, 1992 | 14 km NE of Seeley Lake, Montana | M3.8 | 120 km | 5 km |
| Jun 1, 1996 | 23 km N of Ovando, Montana | M3.8 | 121 km | 10 km |
| Oct 2, 1995 | 18 km E of Finley Point, Montana | M3.7 | 97 km | 5 km |
| Jan 13, 2010 | 36 km NE of Seeley Lake, Montana | M3.7 | 99 km | 21 km |
| Sep 15, 1998 | 9 km ENE of Ovando, Montana | M3.6 | 137 km | 6 km |
| May 10, 1990 | 47 km SSW of Heart Butte, Montana | M3.6 | 48 km | 5 km |
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990–2025). Sorted by magnitude.
Tornado History
14 tornadoes (EF0+) recorded within 100 km since 1950. Strongest on record: EF2.
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Fatalities |
| May 7, 1982 | EF2 | 96 km | 0.5 mi | 0 |
| Jul 2, 1966 | EF2 | 96 km | 0.8 mi | 0 |
| Jun 13, 2006 | EF1 | 40 km | 10.0 mi | 0 |
| Jun 6, 1994 | EF1 | 61 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Jun 1, 1977 | EF1 | 60 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Jul 2, 1964 | EF1 | 99 km | 27.0 mi | 0 |
| Nov 4, 2013 | EF0 | 99 km | 0.8 mi | 0 |
| Jun 6, 1994 | EF0 | 74 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1993 | EF0 | 76 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Jun 29, 1986 | EF0 | 39 km | 0.2 mi | 0 |
| May 7, 1982 | EF0 | 96 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Aug 2, 1981 | EF0 | 76 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Aug 2, 1981 | EF0 | 76 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Jun 5, 1963 | EF0 | 83 km | 1.5 mi | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (EF0+, 1950–2024, US only).
Wildfire History
20 wildfires (100+ acres) recorded within 100 km. Largest: BEAR CREEK (60,710 acres, 2015).
| Year | Name | Acres Burned | Distance |
| 2015 | BEAR CREEK | 60,710 | 69 km |
| 2003 | ROBERT | 54,500 | 95 km |
| 2007 | FOOL CREEK | 53,912 | 36 km |
| 2015 | FAMILY PEAK COMPLEX | 49,769 | 11 km |
| 2007 | AHORN | 45,633 | 83 km |
| 1988 | GATES PARK | 42,493 | 54 km |
| 2007 | SKYLAND | 41,237 | 27 km |
| 2003 | LITTLE SALMON CREEK | 33,044 | 85 km |
| 2006 | RED EAGLE | 32,563 | 62 km |
| 2003 | BARTLETT MOUNTAIN | 27,614 | 98 km |
| 2003 | RAMPAGE COMPLEX (DOUBLE MOUNTAIN 2) | 23,680 | 57 km |
| 2015 | TRAIL CREEK | 22,338 | 54 km |
| 2017 | SCALP | 20,309 | 40 km |
| 2003 | BLACKFOOT LAKE COMPLEX (BLACKFOOT LAKE) | 18,274 | 82 km |
| 2015 | THOMPSON | 18,049 | 60 km |
| 2003 | TRAPPER CREEK FIRE (TRAPPER CREEK) | 18,028 | 92 km |
| 2017 | STRAWBERRY | 17,781 | 21 km |
| 2017 | SPRAGUE | 16,897 | 82 km |
| 2018 | HOWE RIDGE | 14,747 | 90 km |
| 2021 | GREENHOUSE | 14,501 | 36 km |
Source: NIFC/IRWIN Wildfire Records (100+ acres).
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22°F (-6°C) | 1.2 in | Coldest |
| February | 26°F (-4°C) | 0.9 in | |
| March | 30°F (-1°C) | 1.1 in | |
| April | 38°F (3°C) | 1.5 in | |
| May | 47°F (8°C) | 2.5 in | |
| June | 55°F (13°C) | 2.8 in | Wettest |
| July | 60°F (16°C) | 1.5 in | |
| August | 60°F (16°C) | 1.7 in | Warmest |
| September | 51°F (11°C) | 1.5 in | |
| October | 42°F (6°C) | 0.9 in | Driest |
| November | 30°F (-1°C) | 1.0 in | |
| December | 23°F (-5°C) | 1.0 in |
Heart Butte has a seasonal temperature swing of 39°F / from 22°F in January to 60°F in August. Total annual precipitation is 17.6 inches, with June being the wettest month (2.8") and October the driest (0.9").