Weather: Bitterroot Valley, Montana

The Bitterroot Valley is considered a "banana belt" in Montana. The weather is mild considering the altitude and northern latitude. There are distinct changes of season. Humidity is low throughout the year.

Summers are warm and dry with cool nights. The sun hours throughout summer are very high. Rain is almost non-existent. The days are long with daylight lasting nearly 16 hours on the longest days. Nights and mornings are cool, even during the hottest periods.

Autumn brings cooling temperatures and needed moisture. Frost comes early, often late August to early September. Cloud cover begins to increase as inversions begin to dominate the weather pattern. Autumn colors are abundant.

Winter can vary tremendously but snowfall is typically low. Inversions are the normal pattern, which brings significant cloud cover to the valley. Temperatures are normally mild but every winter seems to bring a spell of below zero weather.

The "high country" differs from the valley floor. Snowfall is possible at any time in the high country. Cloud cover is not as prevelant as autumn and winter inversions push clouds near the valley floor. Spring comes late with heavy snowpack lasting into July in the highest altitudes.