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Fort Benton, Montana Weather

Monsoon storms drench the south. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Fort Benton weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Fort Benton, MT
Saturday, July 4 at 12:48 AM
62
°
Clear
Feels like
59°
Humidity
55%
Wind
5 mph
Sunrise
11:30 PM
Sunset
3:23 PM
Fort Benton, MT
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastFort Benton, MT: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 56 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 56°H 88°
Fort Benton, MT
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Overcast
    —
    —
    88°56°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    —
    —
    87°59°-1°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Light Showers
    45%
    0.14″
    81°60°-6°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Drizzle
    45%
    —
    75°62°-6°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Overcast
    28%
    —
    94°60°+19°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Partly Cloudy
    28%
    —
    83°65°-11°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Clear
    —
    —
    86°56°+3°
Fort Benton, MT
Next 24 hours · Cool now
HOT 90°50°73°95°6p12a6a12pnow 64°high 88°low 56°
Fort Benton, MT
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SW
221° · veering 158°
Direction
SW
221°
Sustained
5
mph
Gust
6
mph
Peak 24h
19
avg 6
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 6 · pk 19 @ 5:00p
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 243SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Fort Benton, MT
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
922.5
+0.1 mb in 3h · steady · 27.24 inHg
Now
922.5
mb
3h
+0.1
mb
12h
-1.4
mb
24h
+3.5
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 917–923
910915920925930-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW923.3917.3921.6
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Fort Benton, MT
Air quality
34
AQI
Good
↓-7 in 6h

AQI 34 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI down 7 over the last 6 hours (gradual decline).

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5Good
2.7μg/m³
PM 10Good
3μg/m³
NO₂Good
11μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERGood
46μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SATSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³480
Fort Benton, MT
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
0%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
73.6mi
UNLIMITED
167 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
06:48 UTC · Fort Benton, MT · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
06:48 UTC · Fort Benton, MT · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Fort Benton, MT
Satellite · infrared · animated
Fort Benton, MT
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Fort Benton, MT
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:49 AM
Sunrise
11:30 PM
Daylight
15h 53m
Sunset
3:23 PM
Civil dusk
10:06 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Fort Benton, MT
The moon
Waning Gibbous
83% illuminated
Moonrise
11:31 PM
Moonset
10:22 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Fort Benton, MT
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Monsoon storms drench the south

weather
Jan 150% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Fort Benton at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 62°F — typical for the season
  • Last frost: June 2 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 59442

15-Day Forecast — Fort Benton

  1. Sat88°58°3%
  2. Sun87°59°4%
  3. Mon81°60°45%
  4. Tue75°62°45%
  5. Wed94°60°28%
  6. Thu83°65°28%
  7. Fri86°56°9%
  8. Sat99°59°6%
  9. Sun82°66°6%
  10. Mon87°59°10%
  11. Tue100°64°10%
  12. Wed100°70°6%
  13. Thu91°68°9%
  14. Fri102°70°18%
  15. Sat104°70°19%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

January 1–5: Deep freeze grips the high peaks.January 6–10: Ice thickens on alpine tarns.January 11–15: Springs stir beneath locked earth.January 16–20: Grouse call from the transition zone.January 21–25: First signals of the soil's turning.January 26–31: Stream water crystallizes thick.February 1–5: The year's coldest fortnight begins.February 6–10: East wind carries a subtle promise.February 11–15: Snowmelt springs whisper beneath ice.February 16–20: Red-wing calls rise from the wetlands.February 21–25: Rain begins to trace the snowline upward.February 26–28: Mist gathers in the warming canyons.March 1–5: Grass and trees stir from their sleep.March 6–10: Hibernators break through frozen ground.March 11–15: First blooms open to the spring sun.March 16–20: Mountain bluebirds return to the summits.March 21–25: Spring equinox at the divide.March 26–31: Aspen catkins burst in clusters.April 1–5: Thunderstorms rumble over granite peaks.April 6–10: Swallows and swifts slice the warming sky.April 11–15: Sandhill cranes call through the wetlands.April 16–20: Rainbows arch over the snowfields.April 21–25: New growth explodes across the montane.April 26–30: Last frost yields to summer growth.May 1–5: Wildflowers crest the high meadows.May 6–10: Summer monsoon clouds gather southward.May 11–15: Snowmelt crests toward the divide.May 16–20: High country wildflowers peak.May 21–25: Summer heat accelerates the growing season.May 26–31: Summer settles into the high country.June 1–5: Pikas hayfeeding in granite peaks.June 6–10: Glacier lily carpets the snowmelt.June 11–15: Paintbrush crowns the ridges.June 16–20: Thunderheads build by noon.June 21–25: Long light holds the peaks.June 26–30: Monsoon moisture drifts north.July 1–5: Monsoon storms drench the south.July 6–10: Wind builds through canyons.July 11–15: Lightning crowns every peak.July 16–20: Elk herds claim alpine meadows.July 21–25: Pika caches reach their peak.July 26–31: Monsoon pulses weaken northward.August 1–5: Summer heat breaks with monsoon.August 6–10: First frost creeps to peaks.August 11–15: Cool wind returns from north.August 16–20: Monsoon clouds gather over the peaks.August 21–25: The monsoon breaks into scattered showers.August 26–31: Summer insects thin as autumn wind rises.September 1–5: Elk descend from summer high meadows.September 6–10: Dew crystallizes on high grass at dawn.September 11–15: Hawks begin the long crossing southward.September 16–20: Equinox: darkness claims the high passes.September 21–25: Thunder retreats as the monsoon dies.September 26–30: First frost hardens the high valleys.October 1–5: October: the aspen stands reach their peak.October 6–10: Aspen gold slides downslope with the chill.October 11–15: Snow settles on the high passes.October 16–20: Elk bugling fades as rut nears its end.October 21–25: First hard frost grips the basin.October 26–31: Late rains settle into November patterns.November 1–5: Aspen canopy falls to earth.November 6–10: Granite bones emerge from cover.November 11–15: Earth begins to harden.November 16–20: Bare ranges hold silence.November 21–25: Snow returns to the peaks.November 26–30: North wind strips the landscape.December 1–5: Deep darkness settles over the ranges.December 6–10: Winter locks the high country.December 11–15: Elk withdraw to winter range.December 16–20: Ice thickens across frozen water.December 21–25: Winter solstice — the sun returns.December 26–31: The year closes in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Monsoon storms drench the south

Monsoon established in southern Mountain West (New Mexico, southern Utah, Arizona north); afternoon downpours and lightning common.

Day 185 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
April——
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radisheslettuce, peas, radishes
Junelettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
October—winter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

Fort Benton peaks at about 70°F in July and bottoms near 22°F in January; June brings the heaviest rain (2.6 inches) and February the least (0.4 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January22°0.5″2
February25°0.4″2
March34°0.6″2
April45°1.5″4
May54°2.1″6
June63°2.6″7
July70°1.2″3
August69°1.2″3
September58°1.2″4
October45°0.9″3
November34°0.6″2
December25°0.5″2

Regional context

Fort Benton's climate, from NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 station normals, pairs 22°F Januarys with 70°F Julys — a 48°F swing. About 13.2 inches of precipitation falls over roughly 39 days a year.

Summer convection drives Fort Benton's precipitation: June logs 2.6 inches on 6.6 rainy days, against February's 0.4 inches on 1.5 — warm-season storms carry Fort Benton's moisture. That summer-storm rhythm groups Fort Benton with places like Loma, MT, Carter, MT and Highwood, MT.

Fort Benton's growing window opens around late-May, once Fort Benton's overnight lows stop freezing — sow kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips. In Fort Benton, warm-season transplants — tomatoes, peppers, basil — wait two weeks past Fort Benton's frost date. It shuts near early-October, when freezes return to Fort Benton and tender plants need cover. In Fort Benton, low spots run 4-7°F colder than nearby slopes, nudging Fort Benton's frost dates a week.

Similar climates: Loma, MT, Carter, MT, Highwood, MT, Floweree, MT, Sunnybrook Colony, MT.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Fort Benton?
In Fort Benton, expect the last spring frost near mid-May; Fort Benton's first autumn frost comes around mid-October.
What is the rainy season in Fort Benton?
Rainfall in Fort Benton peaks in June near 2.6 inches, out of about 13 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Fort Benton?
July is Fort Benton's warmest month, averaging about 70°F.
What is the coldest month in Fort Benton?
Fort Benton bottoms out in January, with a mean near 22°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Fort Benton?
Time tomatoes in Fort Benton for two weeks after mid-May; peas and greens start at Fort Benton's frost line.
How many rainy days does Fort Benton get?
Fort Benton records around 39 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Fort Benton?
Fort Benton's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 22°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for Fort Benton?
Fort Benton's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Fort Benton?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Fort Benton in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Fort Benton?
Current conditions for Fort Benton and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Fort Benton forecast updated?
The Fort Benton forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Fort Benton?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Fort Benton are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Fort Benton?
The next few days in Fort Benton's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Fort Benton, Montana occupies a cold semi-arid zone, with January means near 22°F and July around 70°F — a 48°F swing.

Across the year, Fort Benton collects about 13 inches of precipitation over roughly 39 days with measurable rain or snow.

The 48°F gap between Fort Benton's summer and winter, at 47.8°N, shapes Fort Benton's frost calendar.

All cities in Montana →

Great Falls, MT weather →

ZIP codes in Fort Benton

  • 59442

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.