Kansas City Downtown, MO Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Annual temperature and rainfall from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →; comfort score computed by PlainClimate
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Kansas City Downtown's primary NOAA station, KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AP.
The climate verdict for Kansas City Downtown
Kansas City Downtown, Missouri has a mixed annual climate rather than one dominant extreme. Its NOAA normal shows an annual average of 57°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.
- 57°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 78/100
- comfort score, above 72% of station-mapped location scores
- 38.1"
- annual precipitation · 11" snow
- 212 days
- frost-free growing season
Kansas City Downtown: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USW00013988 · Kansas City Downtown, MO 57°F mean · 38.1" precip
TEMP-MILD · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-MID · SWING-WIDE · COMF-TOP · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-MILD 57°F
- RANK-UPPER #4,528
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Norwich
- PRCP-MID 38.1"
- SWING-WIDE 50°F
- COMF-TOP 78/100
- LOAD-HEAT 4,613 HDD
- STN-1 USW00013988
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Norwich, KS ( -0.1 °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 MO station list.
- Kansas City Dow… (this station) 57°F
- Cold Marion Rsvr, KS 57°F
- Near Norwich, KS 57°F
- Near Haysville, KS 57°F
- Near Hutchinson, KS 57°F
Climate Living Index · Kansas City Downtown
Kansas City Downtown: 63/100 · grade C
Kansas City Downtown publishes all six Living Index dimensions from NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals · NOAA hourly normals.
PlainClimate-derived for Kansas City Downtown, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 78/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Precipitation balance | 38.1 in · 3.1 from 35 in | 89/100 · A |
| Frost-free season | 212 days/year | 73/100 · B |
| Annual temperature balance | 56.9°F · 10.6° from 67.5°F | 66/100 · C |
| Snowfall burden | 11.0 inches/year | 62/100 · C |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 128 calendar days | 60/100 · C |
| Summer moisture balance | 65.3°F mean dew point | 34/100 · F |
Kansas City Downtown · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Kansas City Downtown is a continental Köppen climate: Dfa
Coldest-month mean 31.0°F and warmest-month mean 81.0°F place this station in continental, no dry season, hot summer climates (Dfa). Class Dfa is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: continental, specifically continental, no dry season, hot summer.
- Köppen code
- Dfa
- Group
- Continental
- Warmest month
- 81.0°F
- Coldest month
- 31.0°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 Kansas City Downtown sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Kansas City Downtown's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 66th percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- 54th percentile wetness
- Neither arid nor torrential versus 6,352 station totals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- Wider than 81%
- Warmest-to-coldest month gap for Kansas City Downtown is large versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Kansas City Downtown compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Kansas City Downtown'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
Kansas City Downtown's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 123 complete annual observations from 1893 to 2025, KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AP warmed at a fitted rate of 0.06°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Kansas City Downtown primary station fitted change +0.06 °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 | 40°F (4°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 1.0" | 3.4" | 26.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 45°F (7°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 1.5" | 3.2" | 19.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 57°F (14°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.1" | 0.4" | 11.1 | 0.0 |
| April | 67°F (19°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 3.9" | 0.1" | 2.0 | 0.2 |
| May | 76°F (25°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 5.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| June | 86°F (30°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 9.4 |
| July | 90°F (32°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 81°F (27°C) | 4.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 17.0 |
| August | 89°F (31°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 4.7" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 14.3 |
| September | 80°F (27°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 4.6 |
| October | 68°F (20°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 3.2" | 0.3" | 1.1 | 0.2 |
| November | 55°F (13°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 1.8" | 0.1" | 10.5 | 0.0 |
| December | 44°F (7°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 1.3" | 3.5" | 22.3 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Kansas City Downtown works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 91°F by July 22 and hold at or above 90°F on 30 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 98 dates, bottoming at 22°F around January 17.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from July 10 through August 8, covering 30 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs April 27 to October 12.
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 4, then returns to freezing around November 28, covering 98 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 7, when 36% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is January 21 at 14%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 86 wet dates a year.
The widest day
March 30 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 21°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Kansas City Downtown.
Where Kansas City Downtown Stands Nationally
Among the steadiest day-night climates ranked: even the widest normal daily swing holds to roughly 21°F.
Kansas City Downtown 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: 3.4"
4.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 3.2"
4.8 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.4"
6.8 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.1"
9.3 days with precipitation
11.0 days with precipitation
9.5 days with precipitation
7.9 days with precipitation
7.8 days with precipitation
7.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.3"
7.0 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.1"
5.2 days with precipitation
Snow: 3.5"
4.6 days with precipitation
Kansas City Downtown runs a summer-peaked wet season
38% of Kansas City Downtown'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 5.3", on a wide 50°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, May, August, taking 40% of the annual total between them.
- Driest month: January at 1.0".
- 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.
When it rains in Kansas City Downtown, it arrives in quantity
38.1" of precipitation falls across only about 86 wet days here, averaging 0.44 inches each. Fewer days carry more water: the year's total is delivered in comparatively heavy events rather than persistent damp.
- Days with measurable precipitation
- about 86 a year, 24% of all days
- Average depth per wet day
- 0.44 inches
- Most wet days
- May, about 11
- Fewest wet days
- January, about 5
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year, and a per-day average is not a forecast of any individual storm.
Snow reaches Kansas City Downtown, but rarely amounts to much
The normals record 11.0 inches of snow a year here, most likely in December. That is a real but marginal amount: enough that snow is part of the local record, not enough to define the winter.
A figure in this range usually reflects a handful of events that melt quickly rather than a season of accumulation; about 6 days a year record any measurable snow at all.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. An average across thirty years can smooth away a single heavy winter, so a small annual figure does not mean a significant snowfall is impossible.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 2
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 4
50% probability date
Growing Season
212 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,613
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,708
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 | 64% | 8.2 | 58% | 27% |
| February | 59% | 9.2 | 56% | 29% |
| March | 58% | 9.8 | 55% | 27% |
| April | 62% | 8.8 | 49% | 27% |
| May | 65% | 8.2 | 54% | 17% |
| June | 64% | 8.3 | 62% | 8% |
| July | 64% | 7.4 | 64% | 9% |
| August | 65% | 7.4 | 65% | 11% |
| September | 64% | 7.5 | 71% | 12% |
| October | 62% | 8.1 | 63% | 24% |
| November | 64% | 8.4 | 62% | 25% |
| December | 66% | 8.3 | 59% | 29% |
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside MO closest to Kansas City Downtown 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 (57°F here).
- Ashland, KS 57°F · 0.0°F off
- Beaver Dam, KY 57°F · 0.0°F off
- Benton, KY 57°F · 0.0°F off
- Clearlake, CA 57°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (38.1" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Iowa Falls, IA 38.1" · 0.0" off
- Morrisonville, IL 38.1" · 0.0" off
- Hampton, IA 38.1" · 0.0" off
- Morenci, MI 38.1" · 0.0" off
Data-derived climate profile
How Kansas City Downtown's climate pattern fits together
heating led · moderate · mid swing
Kansas City Downtown's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 4,613 annual heating degree days against 1,708 for cooling. Its 50.0°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Kansas City Downtown's frost-free season lasts about 212 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
July and January mark the typical warm and cold ends of the calendar in Kansas City Downtown's middle-range seasonal profile. The measured spread is 50.0°F. The annual average is 57°F. Neither the annual mean nor one extreme month represents the full calendar on its own.
Kansas City Downtown's 38.1 inches of annual precipitation falls in PlainClimate's middle band, so “wet” or “dry” is not the leading description. Annual snowfall totals 11.0 inches. Temperature balance and the calendar distribution carry more information than the annual moisture label alone.
These labels group NOAA 1991-2020 normals from Kansas City Downtown's primary station, so the winter figures are a thirty-year average and not a floor: a single hard season can run well below them. Treat each band as a descriptive range for Kansas City Downtown, not an official NOAA class or a year-ahead forecast.
Questions about Kansas City Downtown's climate
How much rain does Kansas City Downtown get? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Kansas City Downtown get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Kansas City Downtown? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Kansas City Downtown's primary station: KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AP (USW00013988). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The conservative exact name-and-state crosswalk finds no Census place match, so PlainClimate treats this as a station-mapped location and does not claim it is a municipality. No exact Gazetteer row for Kansas City Downtown; facility counts that depend on place identity are therefore an upper bound, not a municipal census.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Kansas City Downtown 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.