Craig, Montana Weather
Pikas hayfeeding in granite peaks. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Craig weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast——68°49°—
- ThursdayJun 4Drizzle31%0.05″69°55°+1°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——80°49°+11°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast22%—86°53°+6°
- SundayJun 7Drizzle31%0.03″67°47°-19°
- MondayJun 8Overcast25%—74°44°+7°
- TuesdayJun 9Light Drizzle44%—70°51°-4°
AQI 29 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points).
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
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).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 6:25 AM
- Moonset
- 3:09 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Pikas hayfeeding in granite peaks
Craig at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 8°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: May 28 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Warm-season window is open
As of June 4, the last spring frost has passed for most years. Transplant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, and cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, melons) now. Direct-sow beans and corn into warm soil.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Craig
SPC has placed Craig in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms today.
- TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- DAY 3NONENo severe risk
Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | — | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | — | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
Craig's warmest month is July (~68°F mean) and its coldest is January (~28°F). Rainfall peaks in June (2.9 inches) and bottoms out in January (0.3 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 0.3″ | 1 |
| February | 30° | 0.4″ | 1 |
| March | 37° | 0.6″ | 2 |
| April | 45° | 1.5″ | 4 |
| May | 53° | 2.6″ | 6 |
| June | 61° | 2.9″ | 6 |
| July | 68° | 1.0″ | 3 |
| August | 67° | 1.2″ | 4 |
| September | 59° | 1.3″ | 3 |
| October | 48° | 1.0″ | 3 |
| November | 37° | 0.5″ | 2 |
| December | 29° | 0.5″ | 2 |
Regional context
Craig's climate, per the NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals from the nearest reporting station, runs cold-winter and warm-summer. January means hover near 28°F while July climbs to 68°F — a 40°F seasonal swing typical of northern-tier latitudes. Annual precipitation totals about 13.8 inches spread across roughly 37 days with measurable rain or snow.
Precipitation runs summer-dominant here: June averages 2.9 inches across 6.0 days with measurable rain, driven mostly by warm-season storms and thunderstorm activity, while January drops to just 0.3 inches across 1.2 rainy days under drier cool-season air. That wet-warm-summer pattern groups Craig with places like Wolf Creek, MT, Hardy, MT and Cascade, MT — a regional cohort where summer thunderstorm season carries more than half the annual moisture.
The frost-sensitive growing window opens around late-May, when overnight lows reliably clear freezing for cool-season crops like kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips. Warm-season transplants — tomatoes, peppers, and basil — typically wait two weeks past that date to avoid late spring cold snaps. The window closes around early-October, when overnight lows resume dipping below freezing and frost-tender plants need protection or harvest. These are 30-year central tendencies; year-to-year frost dates can move by up to two weeks. Local features matter: a south-facing slope inside Craig typically runs 3-5 days ahead of the regional last-frost date, while a low-lying lot along a creek or drainage can lag the same date by a week or more on calm clear nights.
Similar climates: Wolf Creek, MT, Hardy, MT, Cascade, MT, Milford Colony, MT, Canyon Creek, MT.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Craig?
- Craig's last spring frost typically falls around mid-May, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-October.
- What is the rainy season in Craig?
- June is the wettest month with about 2.9 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 14 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Craig?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 68°F.
- What is the coldest month in Craig?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 28°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Craig?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-May); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Craig get?
- Craig averages about 37 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Craig?
- Craig's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Craig, Montana sits in a cold semi-arid climate zone. January means hover near 28°F while July averages 68°F — a 40°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, Craig receives about 14 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 37 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (47.1°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.