Missoula has a semi-arid climate, with cold
and moderately snowy winters, hot and dry summers, and spring and autumn are
short and crisp in between. Winters are usually far milder than much of the
rest of the state due to its location west of the Rockies, allowing it to be
influenced more by mild, moist Pacific air and avoiding the worst of cold
snaps; however, this means precipitation is not at a strong minimum during
winter. Winter snowfall averages 39.5 inches (100 cm), on average
occurring between October 30 and April 20. As with the rest of the state,
summers are very sunny, and the
