Best times to visit Billings from Boise for taste of MT winters? (Chinook: transplants)

[stealheadrun23]

I have been renting in Boise, ID for the past couple years and am trying to decide where I may want to settle in the next few years. The areas I am currently looking at are the Billings, MT area and the Tri-cities area in TN. I grew up in a temperate climate (zoomer, for age clarification) so while mild by cold-climate standards, Boise has given me the opportunity to adjust to some kind of actual winter weather conditions. I haven't had the chance to visit either of the areas I am looking at yet.

I want to see if I have what it takes to stand up to central-Montana winters. Rather than go exclusively off of numbers on C.D. and others, I'd really appreciate input from transplants and locals: if I was going to pick a time to visit, which month would give me the best approximation of what the winters near Billings are like at their harshest? Thank you.

[SilverBear]

Originally Posted by stealheadrun23

I have been renting in Boise, ID for the past couple years and am trying to decide where I may want to settle in the next few years. The areas I am currently looking at are the Billings, MT area and the Tri-cities area in TN. I grew up in a temperate climate (zoomer, for age clarification) so while mild by cold-climate standards, Boise has given me the opportunity to adjust to some kind of actual winter weather conditions. I haven't had the chance to visit either of the areas I am looking at yet.

I want to see if I have what it takes to stand up to central-Montana winters. Rather than go exclusively off of numbers on C.D. and others, I'd really appreciate input from transplants and locals: if I was going to pick a time to visit, which month would give me the best approximation of what the winters near Billings are like at their harshest? Thank you.

February.
Longest, darkest, coldest, most miserable month of the year. Unless you.luck out and visit during a Chinook when the temps can raise 70 degrees overnight.
If that happens, you can see winter floods that can freeze into sheets of ice covering everything when the temps go back to normal.

[stealheadrun23]

Originally Posted by SilverBear

February.
Longest, darkest, coldest, most miserable month of the year. Unless you.luck out and visit during a Chinook when the temps can raise 70 degrees overnight.
If that happens, you can see winter floods that can freeze into sheets of ice covering everything when the temps go back to normal.

Thanks!

[NDak15]

Definitely February.

[mtnlady]

I'm from Billings and live in Boise. I make the drive a few times a year and still visit family. If you have any questions message me.

[stealheadrun23]

Originally Posted by mtnlady

I'm from Billings and live in Boise. I make the drive a few times a year and still visit family. If you have any questions message me.

Thanks!