I think the chart is a bunch of confusing data that leaves out too much information. Before moving to Montana from New Orleans I used the Weather Channel weather history links for several cities. Unfortunately the way the site is laid out there are inconsistencies with the way to find the data for each city. Once the charts are found the information is in the same layout.

I looked at the average temperature map for each month and the coldest months had an average high temperature of just 31º F. I thought that wouldn't be so bad. It was and is much worse. For three of the years I've been here there were more than two weeks with low temperatures at or lower than minus 20º F. When that happens the daily high temperatures are at or below zero. Usually the weeks preceding that and following that have high temperatures at 10º F. For the other three years without the minus 20º F lows the temperatures were very close to being that cold, still at minus 17º or so.

The average highs weren't so bad because even though they were a bit higher than average over most of the years, the humidity in the summer is very low, thus the discomfort level wasn't as bad as it would be in New Orleans with 99º F temperatures. Last summer and the one before that had temperatures at or just below average.

Even though the Weather.com site weather history wasn't as accurate as I expected it to be, it did give much more information than the Camelot Climate Index. There is a graphic representation of the monthly temperatures as they go up and down for the year. The record highs and lows can be added to the chart. That gives a glimpse of what could happen.

On the Camelot Climate Index map my area ranks 66. That amalgamation of data doesn't really tell me anything by just saying 66.

When I lived for a year in Los Angeles it was one of the wettest years ever, yet it wasn't very wet compared to New Orleans. I didn't see the big deal. In the winter the temperature swings could be huge depending on whether a cloud would cover the sun or not. There wasn't enough moisture in the air to hold the temperature constant. For example; one day while working outside in winter I had a coat without a liner on and felt comfortable. A few clouds came over and I became very cold, almost to the point of shivering. Even with that type of temperature swing I'm looking forward to moving back there.

It's April 16th and Montana is still mostly having 45-55º F high temperatures.