The ecoregion has a continental climate, with short, warm summers and long, very cold, winters. Because the ecoregion is so large, there is a lot of variation in temperature and precipitation from west to east. Total annual rain and snow generally increases with elevation. Accordingly, variation in diurnal temperature increases from west to east. Mean annual precipitation over most of the region ranges from 250 mm to 550 mm, with contribution from snowfall averaging from 125 cm to 205 cm.
Most precipitation occurs during summer, mainly as a result of convective storms.
Snow covers the landscape for half the year, lingering at higher altitudes, on north-facing slopes, and on shaded aspects. Strong, stable temperature inversions are common in winter, due to low sun angle and corresponding long-wave radiation cooling. Summer temperatures, averaging a minimum of 8 C to 11 C and a maximum of 17 C to 22 C, have less regional variation than winter temperatures. At lower elevations, temperatures usually remain above freezing from June through mid-September. The Interior Forested Lowlands and Uplands Ecoregion consists of rolling lowlands, dissected plateaus, and rounded low to high hills.