We compared Stanley with 99 ACIS temperature stations in 18 states, focusing on nearby Idaho towns and places known for cold conditions. In this 1991-2020 comparison, Stanley ranks #11 for annual average temperature and #2 for July-August freezing nights.
Average annual temperature
35.8 deg F#11 in this comparison set
July-August freeze nights
22.4 nights#2, behind Bodie, CA
Average longest freeze-free stretch
19.2 days#3 shortest in this comparison
Station elevation
6,249 ft8,190 ft at Darwin Ranch, WY
Stanley sits in a high mountain valley where cold air can settle overnight. That local setting shows up in the data: summer nights are much colder than nearby Idaho stations and many national cold-place stations.
National comparison
Annual average and summer freezing
Annual temperature and summer freezing describe different parts of a cold climate. Ten stations in this set have lower annual averages than Stanley, including Crested Butte and Embarrass, but both average far fewer freezing nights in July and August. Only Bodie averages more summer freezing nights than Stanley.
Selected stations from the 1991-2020 comparison set. Elevation is shown in the station detail panel.
Metric lens
Four ways to rank cold
Stanley averages 22.4 nights below freezing in July and August. Only Bodie, CA averages more. Stanley ranks #2 for this measure.
1
Bodie, CA8,370 ft, +2,121 ft vs Stanley
24.7 nights
2
Stanley6,249 ft, same elevation as Stanley
22.4 nights
3
Darwin Ranch, WY8,190 ft, +1,941 ft vs Stanley
20.6 nights
4
Snake River, WY6,886 ft, +637 ft vs Stanley
16.9 nights
5
Wisdom, MT6,060 ft, -189 ft vs Stanley
16.2 nights
6
Seneca, OR4,660 ft, -1,589 ft vs Stanley
13.0 nights
7
Boca, CA5,575 ft, -674 ft vs Stanley
12.5 nights
8
Fraser, CO8,563 ft, +2,314 ft vs Stanley
12.2 nights
9
Wild Horse Reservoir, NV6,224 ft, -25 ft vs Stanley
10.9 nights
10
Daniel Fish Hatchery, WY7,341 ft, +1,092 ft vs Stanley
10.4 nights
11
Old Faithful, WY7,351 ft, +1,102 ft vs Stanley
10.4 nights
12
Tower Falls, WY6,275 ft, +26 ft vs Stanley
9.1 nights
Summer nights
How much of July and August falls below freezing?
July and August have 61 nights. Each block represents one night. Full and partial blocks show the average number of nights at or below 32 deg F.
Bodie, CA24.7 nights
Stanley22.4 nights
Darwin Ranch, WY20.6 nights
Snake River, WY16.9 nights
Wisdom, MT16.2 nights
Seneca, OR13.0 nights
Fraser, CO12.2 nights
Wild Horse Reservoir, NV10.9 nights
Island Park3.7 nights
Ketchum2.5 nights
Embarrass, MN1.4 nights
Boise0.0 nights
Elevation check
Summer freezing by station elevation
Temperatures generally decrease as elevation increases, so elevation is one factor in how cold a place can be. But elevation alone does not determine how often a station records freezing nights in July and August. Stanley has more summer freezing nights than Darwin Ranch, Fraser, Leadville, Crested Butte, and Island Park, even though those stations are at similar or higher elevations.
Points are stations in the 1991-2020 ranking group. Idaho stations are green; Stanley is blue.
Idaho context
Stanley compared with nearby Idaho stations
Stanley averages 22.4 nights at or below 32°F during July and August. Island Park is next among these Idaho stations, averaging 3.7 nights.
U.S. Census Bureau 2025 TIGER state boundary. Larger circles represent colder results for the selected measure.
ACIS daily station data, 1991-01-01-2020-12-31; comparison generated 2026-07-10. The comparison includes cold basins, mountain towns, northern communities, and nearby Idaho stations that meet the same daily-record requirements.