Editing Heron, Montana (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|3.4|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

===Climate===
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2020}}

Heron has a continental, quasi-Mediterranean climate ([[Köppen climate classification#Dfb/Dwb/Dsb: Warm summer continental or hemiboreal climates|Dsb]]{{Broken anchor|date=2024-05-29|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Köppen climate classification#Dfb/Dwb/Dsb: Warm summer continental or hemiboreal climates|reason= The anchor (Dfb/Dwb/Dsb: Warm summer continental or hemiboreal climates) [[Special:Diff/1151881583|has been deleted]].}}) that has more in common with northern Idaho and the [[Pacific Northwest]] than the rest of Montana. It has one of the wettest climates in the state (outside isolated mountain areas), averaging nearly {{convert|34|in}} of precipitation per year. Winters are wet and often snowy with occasional rain; summers are mostly dry with sunny, warm days and cool to chilly nights.

Another striking feature of Heron's climate is the patterned, extremely large seasonal variation in [[diurnal temperature range]]: only 10-11 degrees in the wettest months, November through January, expanding to nearly 35 degrees in the driest months, July and August, reflecting prevalent low humidity during those months. Around 11 days per year reach 90 F., while 100 F. is a very rare occurrence. Nights are cool year round with freezes having been recorded in every month. On average, the lowest temperature each year is -12 F., placing Heron in hardiness zone 5B.

Average monthly precipitation is very high by Montana standards, especially in the wettest months of November through January, but Heron experiences continuing moderately wet conditions each month from February to June. In May and June, Heron shares with the rest of Montana some frequency of shower and thunderstorm activity, making these the wettest months in virtually all other areas of Montana, but not in Heron due to its exceptionally wet winters.

Overall, Heron's average annual precipitation cycle is similar to that of the Pacific Northwest in its dry summer and wet winter (with a November maximum, as in [[Seattle, WA]]), but somewhat transitional into the typical [[Montana]] and [[Wyoming]] pattern of a May or June maximum, reflected in Heron's continued relatively high rainfall those months. The combination of these factors with possible [[orographic lift]] results in Heron being one of the wettest locations in Montana, mostly a dry state elsewhere.

{{Weather box|location = Heron 1981-2010, extremes 1912-
| single line = Y
| Jan high F = 33.0
| Feb high F = 37.9
| Mar high F = 46.8
| Apr high F = 57.4
| May high F = 66.3
| Jun high F = 73.0
| Jul high F = 81.3
| Aug high F = 80.9
| Sep high F = 70.2
| Oct high F = 54.6
| Nov high F = 39.7
| Dec high F = 31.7
| year high F = 
| Jan low F = 22.3
| Feb low F = 22.8
| Mar low F = 27.2
| Apr low F = 32.0
| May low F = 38.4
| Jun low F = 44.5
| Jul low F = 47.1
| Aug low F = 45.8
| Sep low F = 39.7
| Oct low F = 33.3
| Nov low F = 28.6
| Dec low F = 21.7
| year low F = 
| Jan record high F = 61
| Feb record high F = 59
| Mar record high F = 73
| Apr record high F = 88
| May record high F = 96
| Jun record high F = 100
| Jul record high F = 105
| Aug record high F = 106
| Sep record high F = 97
| Oct record high F = 87
| Nov record high F = 68
| Dec record high F = 58
| year record high F = 
| Jan record low F = −39
| Feb record low F = -32
| Mar record low F = -22
| Apr record low F = -1
| May record low F = 19
| Jun record low F = 25
| Jul record low F = 29
| Aug record low F = 21
| Sep record low F = 9
| Oct record low F = 4
| Nov record low F = -14
| Dec record low F = -35
| year record low F = 
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 4.25
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.91
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.94
| Apr precipitation inch = 2.36
| May precipitation inch = 2.83
| Jun precipitation inch = 2.82
| Jul precipitation inch = 1.38
| Aug precipitation inch = 1.07
| Sep precipitation inch = 1.73
| Oct precipitation inch = 2.69
| Nov precipitation inch = 4.61
| Dec precipitation inch = 4.15
| year precipitation inch = 
| Jan snow inch = 24.5
| Feb snow inch = 12.6
| Mar snow inch = 8.6
| Apr snow inch = 1.3
| May snow inch = 0.1
| Jun snow inch = 0
| Jul snow inch = 0
| Aug snow inch = 0
| Sep snow inch = 0
| Oct snow inch = 0.3
| Nov snow inch = 8.8
| Dec snow inch = 24.6
| year snow inch = 
| unit precipitation days = 0.04 in
| Jan precipitation days = 14.7
| Feb precipitation days = 10.8
| Mar precipitation days = 12.0
| Apr precipitation days = 10.1
| May precipitation days = 10.8
| Jun precipitation days = 9.8
| Jul precipitation days = 5.5
| Aug precipitation days = 4.6
| Sep precipitation days = 6.3
| Oct precipitation days = 10.2
| Nov precipitation days = 14.6
| Dec precipitation days = 14.2
| year precipitation days = 
| unit snow days = 0.4 in
| Jan snow days = 9.6
| Feb snow days = 5.8
| Mar snow days = 4.0
| Apr snow days = 1.0
| May snow days = 0.1
| Jun snow days = 0
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0
| Oct snow days = 0.3
| Nov snow days = 4.7
| Dec snow days = 10.5
| year snow days = 
| source 1 = NWS NOWDATA for Heron 2NW from the NWS Missoula area
}}