The Extended Winter Forecast For Montana Is Interesting

Here we are already halfway through January, and there’s no snow on the ground, and temperatures are sitting well above freezing.

I won’t say this January is the warmest one in Montana history, but I can't remember when we had a warmer one.

That said, when it comes to Montana weather, we all know things can change quickly.

After all, we hold the world record for the largest temperature swing in a 24-hour period, when Loma went from -54° to 49° back in 1972; that's a 103-degree swing.

Since weather can change at any moment around here, what should we expect for the rest of winter in 2026?

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According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, more of this mild weather should stick around through the end of February.

There is some good news for skiers, though. They’re calling for some snow to finally show up from the last week of January into the first week of February.

After that, things warm back up. Looking ahead to Valentine’s Day, the forecast calls for sunny and mild conditions with the occasional rain or snow shower. For February as a whole, temperatures are expected to average about five degrees warmer than normal.

I don’t mind the warmer temps too much. It’s the lack of snow that worries me, because that could set us up for a pretty smoky summer.