Typical Weather in Billings, Montana on Christmas Day
Typical weather for Billings, Montana, on Christmas Day would see high temperatures in the mid-30s Fahrenheit and lows in the upper teens.
But the weather in Billings is sometimes anything but typical, say meteorologists.
The meteorological dynamics in this part of the country sometimes result in sudden and dramatic weather changes. That's particularly the case during the winter months.
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Typical Christmas weather for Billings, MT
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The average snowfall in Billings, Montana on Christmas day is a meager 0.03 inches. The National Weather Service says average temperatures for Billings, Montana, on Christmas Day include a high of 35 degrees and a low of 17 degrees.
Average precipitation is 0.01 inches. That equates to 0.03 inches if the precipitation is in the form of snow. Barely a white Christmas.
Weather Records for Billings, MT on Christmas Day
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Billing's weather records are measured by the National Weather Service station at Logan International Airport. The record high temperature for Billings on Christmas Day, according to the National Weather Service, was 56 degrees in 2005. The low temperature was minus 21 degrees in 1983. Billings recorded a record snowfall of 4.5 inches on Christmas day in 1965. The weather records were measured by the NWS station Billing's Logan International Airport.
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Wild Winter Weather
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"The temperature could change 30 or 40 degrees in a matter of minutes" in Billings, Montana. Keith Meier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Billings, says the area's weather can vary widely on Christmas Day or any winter day. "We're close enough to the mountains that we experience Chinook winds that bring warm air over the mountains and onto the plains." Meier says Billings can also be susceptible to Arctic air masses that charge south from Canada in the winter. "It's pretty dramatic if you stand outside on a day where it was fairly warm and one of these Arctic cold fronts comes through," says Meier, "the temperature could change 30 or 40 degrees in a matter of minutes."
Billings Climate
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Mountains on three sides of Billings help protect the city from severe winter weather. Billings, a city with a population of 103,994 in 2008, is located in Montana's Yellowstone River Valley. The area is arid in comparison to most other U.S. cities. Average annual rainfall is roughly 14 inches. Mountains on three sides of Billings help protect the city from severe winter weather. According to the Western Regional Climate Center, the city's average highs are 87 degrees in July. January brings the lowest average annual temperature of 32 degrees. Average annual snowfall is 56 inches.
Billing's Microclimates
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The Billings area has many "micro climates" generated by its geography. NWS meteorologist Keith Meier says the Billings area has "micro climates" generated by its geography. This means that, depending on where you live in the Billings area, there may be dramatic differences in winter temperatures. Generally, it's cooler in the Yellowstone River Valley and warmer in the hills above Billings.
"In the wintertime it's not unusual for the temperature in the Yellowstone River Valley, where most Billings residents live, to be very cold," says Meier. "Meanwhile on top of some of the hills and rocky rims that surround the city, and where the airport's located, the temperature can be 20 or 30 degrees warmer."
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References
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- Photo Credit winter image by Pali A from Fotolia.com temperature image by Edsweb from Fotolia.com COLD!! image by brelsbil from Fotolia.com over the green fields to the glacier image by Deborah Benbrook from Fotolia.com Sunrise Over the Mountain image by Brmd Sloop from Fotolia.com
