Dodge City, KS Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Explore NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals → and a clearly labeled PlainClimate comfort calculation
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Dodge City's primary NOAA station, DODGE CITY.
The climate verdict for Dodge City
Dodge City, Kansas has a mixed annual climate rather than one dominant extreme. Its NOAA normal shows an annual average of 56°F. It scores 78/100 for climate comfort (good), putting it in the top third of station-mapped location scores and exceeding 72% of them.
- 56°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 78/100
- comfort score, above 72% of station-mapped location scores
- 22.0"
- annual precipitation · 19" snow
- 182 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Dodge City: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USW00013985 · Dodge City, KS 56°F mean · 22.0" precip
TEMP-MILD · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-DRY · SWING-WIDE · COMF-TOP · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-MILD 56°F
- RANK-UPPER #4,322
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Kingman
- PRCP-DRY 22.0"
- SWING-WIDE 47°F
- COMF-TOP 78/100
- LOAD-HEAT 4,815 HDD
- STN-1 USW00013985
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Kingman, KS (+ 0 °F mean)
Instrument codes from this station's NOAA 1991–2020 normals, mean temperature, corpus warmth rank, photo-finish peer station, precipitation band, seasonal swing, comfort composite, degree-day load, and field book, not a livability rating.
Mean-temperature neighbourhood
Nationwide NOAA normal poles and nearest peers, not a reprint of every KS station list.
- Dodge City (this station) 56°F
- Cold John Redmond La…, KS 56°F
- Hot Tallgrass Prair…, KS 56°F
- Near Kingman, KS 56°F
- Near Leavenworth, KS 56°F
Climate Living Index · Dodge City
Dodge City: 48/100 · grade D
Dodge City publishes all six Living Index dimensions from NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals · NOAA hourly normals.
PlainClimate-derived for Dodge City, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 78/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Summer moisture balance | 60.0°F mean dew point | 64/100 · C |
| Annual temperature balance | 55.9°F · 11.6° from 67.5°F | 62/100 · C |
| Precipitation balance | 22.0 in · 13.0 from 35 in | 54/100 · D |
| Frost-free season | 182 days/year | 51/100 · D |
| Snowfall burden | 19.1 inches/year | 50/100 · D |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 194 calendar days | 17/100 · F |
Dodge City · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Dodge City is a temperate Köppen climate: Cfa
Coldest-month mean 33.0°F and warmest-month mean 80.1°F place this station in temperate, no dry season, hot summer climates (Cfa). Class Cfa is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: temperate, specifically temperate, no dry season, hot summer.
- Köppen code
- Cfa
- Group
- Temperate
- Warmest month
- 80.1°F
- Coldest month
- 33.0°F
Source: official public datasets monthly normals (1991–2020) at the city’s primary station. This is a station classification, not a mapped regional consensus.
National standing · heating-led station
Where Dodge City sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Dodge City's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 63rd percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- 31st percentile wetness
- Neither arid nor torrential versus 6,352 station totals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- 68th percentile swing
- Typical seasonal amplitude versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Dodge City compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Dodge City's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
78 Top 28% score exceeds 72% of 6,189 station-mapped location scores
- 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
- 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Below this entry.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). Below this entry.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Below this entry.
- 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). This entry sits in this band.
- 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry.
- 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Dodge City's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 144 complete annual observations from 1875 to 2025, DODGE CITY warmed at a fitted rate of 0.10°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Dodge City primary station fitted change +0.10 °C/decade
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46°F (8°C) | 20°F (-6°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 0.6" | 3.9" | 29.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 49°F (10°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 0.6" | 4.7" | 23.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 60°F (15°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 1.4" | 3.7" | 17.3 | 0.1 |
| April | 69°F (20°C) | 40°F (5°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.0" | 0.8" | 5.8 | 0.8 |
| May | 78°F (26°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 0.4 | 4.4 |
| June | 89°F (31°C) | 62°F (16°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 3.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 14.7 |
| July | 94°F (34°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 80°F (27°C) | 3.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 21.7 |
| August | 91°F (33°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 18.8 |
| September | 84°F (29°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 1.3" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 9.0 |
| October | 71°F (22°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.0" | 0.6" | 4.3 | 1.5 |
| November | 57°F (14°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 0.8" | 1.4" | 17.9 | 0.0 |
| December | 46°F (8°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.0" | 4.0" | 28.4 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Dodge City works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 94°F by July 18 and hold at or above 90°F on 65 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 129 dates, bottoming at 20°F around January 6.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from June 21 through August 24, covering 65 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs April 23 to October 17.
This counts calendar dates whose 1991–2020 normal high reaches 90°F. It is a smaller number than the 90°F+ day counts in the monthly table above, which measure how often the threshold was actually crossed in a typical year. A date can average 88°F and still exceed 90°F in half of all years.
The freezing stretch
The normal low stays at or below 32°F into March 18, then returns to freezing around November 11, covering 129 dates in all.
Derived from the normal daily minimum. This is a different measure from the 50%-probability frost dates shown elsewhere on this page, which come from NOAA’s frost product.
Where the wet dates fall
The likeliest wet date is May 29, when 29% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is January 10 at 12%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 74 wet dates a year.
The widest day
March 31 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 29°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Dodge City.
Where Dodge City Stands Nationally
Heat is a defining feature of the normals calendar — the normal daily high reaches 90°F on roughly 65 days a year, more than four out of five ranked stations record.
Dodge City earns one nationally notable standing (outer quintile) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations, middle-of-the-pack metrics stay silent here.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
Snow: 3.9"
3.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 4.7"
4.4 days with precipitation
Snow: 3.7"
5.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.8"
7.1 days with precipitation
8.6 days with precipitation
8.5 days with precipitation
8.3 days with precipitation
8.5 days with precipitation
5.2 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.6"
5.9 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.4"
4.3 days with precipitation
Snow: 4.0"
4.2 days with precipitation
Dodge City runs a summer-peaked wet season
43% of Dodge City's yearly precipitation falls in June, July and August alone, against the 25% an evenly spread year would give those three months. The wettest month is June at 3.3", on a wide 47.1°F gap between its warmest and coldest month. Warm-season convection and, across the Southwest, the North American monsoon produce this shape: rain arrives in short heavy bursts during the hottest part of the year rather than as long cool-season soaking.
- Wettest three months: June, July, May, taking 43% of the annual total between them.
- Driest month: January at 0.6".
- Winter share: 10% falls in December, January and February.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. A summer-peaked label means the June-August share reaches 35%; it describes timing across an average year, not any single season, and says nothing about how heavy an individual storm can be.
How Dodge City's precipitation splits across the calendar
About 74 days a year record measurable precipitation here, carrying 22.0" between them, or roughly 0.30 inches on a typical wet day. That sits in the middle band: neither the many-light-days pattern of the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes, nor the few-heavy-events pattern of the Gulf and the desert Southwest.
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year and say nothing about the heaviest single storm on record.
Winter brings real snow to Dodge City
Dodge City averages 19.1 inches of snowfall a year, with February the snowiest month on the normals, spread across roughly 13 days that record measurable snow. That is depth accumulating on the ground, which is why it can exceed the annual precipitation figure: precipitation counts the liquid the snow melts down to, and fresh snow is mostly air.
- Annual snowfall: 19.1 inches of depth.
- Days recording measurable snow: about 13 a year.
- At a rough ten-to-one melt ratio, snow accounts for on the order of 9% of the year's precipitation.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. The ten-to-one ratio is a convention, not a measurement: real ratios vary with temperature, so treat the share as an order of magnitude rather than an exact split.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 20
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 21
50% probability date
Growing Season
182 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,815
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,549
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61% | 12.0 | 66% | 23% |
| February | 56% | 13.6 | 67% | 21% |
| March | 57% | 14.5 | 63% | 22% |
| April | 59% | 14.0 | 59% | 24% |
| May | 61% | 12.8 | 64% | 16% |
| June | 56% | 13.0 | 74% | 7% |
| July | 59% | 11.2 | 70% | 9% |
| August | 59% | 11.7 | 73% | 11% |
| September | 57% | 12.7 | 73% | 14% |
| October | 58% | 12.4 | 74% | 17% |
| November | 60% | 12.5 | 74% | 17% |
| December | 65% | 12.2 | 70% | 22% |
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside KS closest to Dodge City on two NOAA annual-normal axes (mean temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.
Closest by average temperature
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual mean temperature (56°F here).
- Beltsville, MD 56°F · 0.0°F off
- Elizabethton, TN 56°F · 0.0°F off
- Groveland, CA 56°F · 0.0°F off
- Hart, TX 56°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (22.0" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Colorado City, TX 22.0" · 0.0" off
- Cooperstown, ND 22.0" · 0.0" off
- Faulkton, SD 22.0" · 0.0" off
- Ruidoso, NM 22.0" · 0.0" off
Snow and freeze rhythm
When cold and snow define Dodge City
heating led · moderate · mid swing
Dodge City's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 4,815 annual heating degree days against 1,549 for cooling. Its 47.1°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Dodge City's frost-free season lasts about 182 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
-
1. Dodge City coldest normal
January
The monthly mean of 33°F (1°C) sits near freezing, so cold nights and above-freezing afternoons share the same month.
-
2. Dodge City typical freeze period
January through December
The station reports average freezing days from January through December.
-
3. Dodge City snow peak
February
Dodge City averages 19.1 inches of snow a year, with February the snowiest month on the normals.
Questions about Dodge City's climate
How much snow does Dodge City get? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Dodge City get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Dodge City? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Dodge City's primary station: DODGE CITY (USW00013985). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The 2024 Census Gazetteer identifies the exact name-and-state match as an incorporated place (GEOID 2018250). Match rule for Dodge City: exact normalized name + state only, no fuzzy expansion, so nearby differently spelled facilities stay unmatched.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Dodge City comes from its primary NOAA station record. No figure on this page is typed in by an editor - each value is rendered from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 1991–2020 normals.