Winter can be brutal in Montana. From bone-chilling temperatures to feet of snow, if you've never experienced a northern winter, you're in for a real surprise.

READ MORE: How big is the state of Montana?

When my wife and I first moved to Bozeman, locals warned us we wouldn't last long because of the cold winter months. We just smiled and laughed inside because we had spent 4 years in Grand Forks, ND which is the coldest city in the continental United States.

However, for our more southern friends moving here, you should probably prepare yourself. Maybe drive around in an empty parking lot to get used to driving on snow and ice. Make sure you have the proper clothing and understand that we rarely cancel school due to weather.

100.7 KXLB logo
Get our free mobile app

Winter can last 6 months or more here in The Last Best Place. Of course, the coldest recorded temperature in the state and the lower 48 happened back in 1954 at Rogers Pass when the thermometer read 70 below zero.

While this is debatable, a list of the coldest cities in the United States has been released and one Montana city was mentioned coming in at number 8.

Canva
Canva
loading...

Before we tell you the coldest city in Montana, which is also the 8th coldest city in America, let's look at some of the data. The rankings were based on the average winter temperature.  Taking first place in Fairbanks, AK with an average temp of 27 degrees. Grand Forks, ND comes in second place with an average temp of 33 degrees followed by the cities of Duluth, Anchorage, Fargo, Bismark, and Minneapolis.

What's the coldest city in Montana?

Coming in 8th place with an average temperature of 44 degrees is the city of Helena. Not only is Helena the capital city, but it seems it's also the coldest. Now, I know that someone is going to send me a message and dispute this, but once again, this is according to the average temps during the winter months.

What's the coldest temperature you've experienced in Montana? Let us know by sending us a message on our app.

Montana Winter Survival: 10 Things You'll Need to Stay Warm

Here's a list of 10 items that are essential when it comes to winter survival in Montana.

Gallery Credit: Jesse James

Essential Winter Emergency Kit Items

Winter season in Montana means cold temperatures, heavy snow, and slick roads. Hopefully, you won't ever need to tap into your winter emergency kit, but it's better to have one in your car than to be unprepared. Make sure you have these essential items in your car before winter arrives in Montana.

Gallery Credit: Connor Kenney/Townsquare Media Quad Cities

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi

 

 

 

 

More From 100.7 KXLB