Joplin, MO Climate

Climate Insight: Joplin, MO

Based on station USW00023908 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Joplin, Missouri averages 57°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 68°F to a mean daily low of 45°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.

Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Joplin receives roughly 45.8 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 201 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 6 and the first fall freeze near October 24. For energy use, 4,376 heating degree days and 1,381 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Joplin scores 78/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.