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Shaded-relief map of Harrison, Montana: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
MONTANA · MADISON COUNTY

Harrison

105 people, 4,890 ft above sea level in Madison County.

4,890 ftElevation, city center
105People, 2024 estimate
0 sq miLand area
Sunny 45°
Sunny now Dew point 37° · Calm · high 47°
City of Harrison River Interstate 2 miles
Explore the plate Order a print

The Harrison plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in Harrison

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 10:00 AM MST
RIGHT NOW Bert Mooney Airport (KBTM) · 10:53 AM
Sunny
45° Sunny Feels like 45° · high of 47° near 12 PM
WindCalmno gusts
Humidity74%falling to 65% this afternoon
Pressure29.72 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 37° · Dry26° by Sunday: drier air arrives
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Mostly cloudy
Today, about 3 PMin about 3 hours · 50% chance · rain
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 10.17 in · 13 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Madison County
NWS Great Falls and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 11:46 AM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:25 AM4:57 PM ↓
9 h 32 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 24% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
—
Air quality index ·
No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
11a
2p
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
partly cloudy day
rain
partly cloudy night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
rain
rain
rain
rain
snow
rain
TEMPERATURE °F
45°
29°
46°
32°
45°
29°
CHANCE OF RAIN
89% · 0.05 in Tuesday morning 50%
WIND, MPH
7
8
3
3
7
8
7
7
10
11
11
12
10
6
4
3
5
6
5
5
5
5
4
4
HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 26 to 37°

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 41° / 16°
SAT Nov. 14 Chance of showers Chance of showers
47° 26°
50% rain — W 7 A
SUN Nov. 15 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
47° 27°
0% rain — S 9 A
MON Nov. 16 Chance of showers Chance of showers
47° 26°
40% rain up to 0.2″ S 5 B
TUE Nov. 17 Showers likely; cooler Showers likely; cooler
37° 19°
90% rain 0.08–0.7″ NW 6 B
WED Nov. 18 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
36° 18°
10% rain — SSE 7 B
THU Nov. 19 Chance of showers Chance of showers
37° 19°
50% rain up to 0.2″ ESE 2 C
FRI Nov. 20 Chance of showers Chance of showers
35° 16°
40% rain up to 0.1″ NW 3 B
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over Harrison about 5,000 feet above the ground was over the Pacific off the Northwest three days ago, and over the Pacific Northwest a day ago, about 1,070 miles back along its path. It came down from about 13,300 feet up, warming and drying as it sank. It feels dry all the same. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK IN 1999 Nov. 12, 1999

The hottest this week has been

71° on Nov. 12, 1999, the hottest reading for this week of the year since 1907. Next is 68° in 2016.

68°
71°
20161999
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Norris Madison Power House record since 1907.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Harrison stands on

Harrison’s center stands about 4,890 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 4,710 ft to 5,260 ft, a difference of 550 ft: hilly country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Hollowtop Mountain, about 10,590 ft, 13 miles west-southwest.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Alluvium (gravel, sand, silt), from the Pleistocene to Holocene, less than 1.8 million years old.

The section below crosses 7 rock units mapped at the surface.

Harrison, cut in half from southwest to northeast

A section southwest to northeast, 24 miles through the town center
4,000 ft6,000 ft8,000 ft HARRISON4,890 ftHigh point of the line9,450 ftNorth Willow Creekabout 4,780 ftWillow Creekabout 4,210 ft ← SWWillow Creek · NE →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 4×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Alluvium

Gravel, sand, silt. Age: Pleistocene to Holocene, less than 1.8 million years old. About 7 mi of the line.

Granitic rock

Granitic. Age: Cretaceous, 66 to 145 million years old. About 5 mi of the line.

Middle Tertiary sediment or sedimentary rock

Siltstone, sedimentary-breccia, conglomerate. Age: Early Eocene to Early Miocene, 16 to 56 million years old. About 4 mi of the line.

Gneiss and amphibolite

Gneiss, amphibolite. Age: Archean. About 3 mi of the line.

Quartzofeldspathic gneiss

Gneiss. Age: Archean. About 3 mi of the line.

Gravel

Age: Pleistocene to Holocene, less than 1.8 million years old. About 1 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale. 1 smaller unit along the line are not listed.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where Harrison’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Harrison reaches the Gulf of America by way of Willow Creek, the Jefferson, the Missouri and the Mississippi: about 3,510 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Harrison≈ 3,510 mi · the Gulf of America
FROM THE CENTER OF HARRISON ≈ 3,510 mi to the Gulf of America Willow Creek → Jefferson → Missouri → Mississippi

Lakes on the way: Lake Oahe, Lake Sakakawea, Lake Fort Peck and Lake Sharpe.

1,170 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of Harrison; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Harrison’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1907 · Norris Madison Power House, 17 mi south-southeast

Harrison has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 85° in July; winter nights fall to about 24° in January. A normal year brings about 52 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 18 inches of water.

39°24°42°25°50°30°57°36°66°43°75°50°85°57°85°56°75°48°60°39°47°30°38°24° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 TODAY HARRISON 18.4 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average85° / 57°high / low, the warmest month
January, average39° / 24°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow18.4 inwettest months: June and May
Snow a year51.8 insnowiest: February
Hottest on record102°FJuly 13, 2002
Coldest on record−36°FFebruary 9, 1933
Wettest day on record5.04 inMay 24, 1909
Snowiest day on record24.0 inMay 6, 2010
90° days a year21very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°126and 25 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfb

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Oct. 5, to the last in spring, about May 1 (median dates)
2Lows below freezingNov. 7 to March 25; normal lows fall below 32°
3Wettest stretchApril through June: 8.4 of the year’s 18.4 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Harrison normally reaches 47° and falls to 31°. The record high is 69°, in 1999; the record low −7°, in 1955. The most rain on this date, 0.36 in, fell in 2017.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high39°42°50°57°66°75°85°85°75°60°47°38°
Normal low24°25°30°36°43°50°57°56°48°39°30°24°
Rain and melt, in0.530.741.172.263.003.171.321.411.441.690.810.82
Snow, inches7.112.97.15.31.60.00.00.00.02.75.49.7
Record high62° (1981)65° (1995)75° (2026)88° (1910)94° (1919)97° (1936)102° (2002)102° (1940)99° (2022)88° (1992)78° (1909)66° (1939)
Record low−32° (1909)−36° (1933)−17° (1920)−4° (1936)17° (1967)29° (1924)31° (1921)33° (1992)13° (1926)−4° (1935)−18° (1959)−28° (1924)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1907 at Norris Madison Power House, 17 miles south-southeast, 140 ft lower. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Harrison on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Bozeman MT · 35 MI 35 miles east Missoula MT · 134 MI 134 miles northwest Billings MT · 156 MI 156 miles east
FORECASTCITY
Map of Harrison, Montana. Explore the plate
MONTANA · MADISON

Harrison

105 people, 4,890 ft above sea level in Madison County.

4,890 ftElevation
105People
0 sq miLand
Sunny 45°
SunnyDew point 37°
1

Today in Harrison

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now mostly sunny 45° 1%
2p mostly cloudy day 46° 22%
5p mostly cloudy night 44° 29%
8p partly cloudy night 37° 1%
11p mostly clear night 32° 0%
2a partly cloudy night 31° 0%
Mostly cloudy
NEXT RAINToday about 3 PM · 50%
→
Sat50%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
26
47
A
Sun0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
27
47
A
Mon40%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
26
47
B
Tue90%
Showers likely; cooler Showers likely; cooler
19
37
B
Wed10%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
18
36
B
Thu50%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
19
37
C
Fri40%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
16
35
B
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 1999 · NOV. 12, 1999

71°, the hottest this week of the year has been since 1907.

2

What Harrison stands on

Harrison’s center stands about 4,890 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 4,710 ft to 5,260 ft, a difference of 550 ft: hilly country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Hollowtop Mountain, about 10,590 ft, 13 miles west-southwest.

Harrison, southwest to northeast Harrison4,890 ftNorth Willow Creekabout 4,780 ftWillow Creekabout 4,210 ft ← SWNE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 7×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center4,890 ft
Within 3 miles4,710 to 5,260 ft
Lie of the landHilly (550 ft of relief)
High point nearbyHollowtop Mountain, 10,590 ft, 13 mi west-southwest
Rock at the surfaceAlluvium
Its agePleistocene to Holocene, less than 1.8 million years old
5

Harrison’s year

Harrison has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 85° in July; winter nights fall to about 24° in January. A normal year brings about 52 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 18 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 18.4 in
July, average85° / 57° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average39° / 24° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow18.4 in · wettest months: June and May
Snow a year51.8 in · snowiest: February
Hottest on record102°F · July 13, 2002
Coldest on record−36°F · February 9, 1933
Wettest day on record5.04 in · May 24, 1909
Snowiest day on record24.0 in · May 6, 2010
90° days a year21 · very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°126 · and 25 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfb
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Oct. 5, to the last in spring, about May 1 (median dates)
2Lows below freezing · Nov. 7 to March 25; normal lows fall below 32°
3Wettest stretch · April through June: 8.4 of the year’s 18.4 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Harrison normally reaches 47° and falls to 31°. The record high is 69°, in 1999; the record low −7°, in 1955. The most rain on this date, 0.36 in, fell in 2017.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1907 at Norris Madison Power House, 17 miles south-southeast, 140 ft lower. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 3,510 mito the Gulf of AmericaWillow Creek → Jefferson → Missouri → Mississippi

A raindrop that lands in Harrison reaches the Gulf of America by way of Willow Creek, the Jefferson, the Missouri and the Mississippi: about 3,510 river miles.

Lakes on the way: Lake Oahe, Lake Sakakawea, Lake Fort Peck and Lake Sharpe.

1,170 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.