Climate Comfort Score
68/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 55°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Kansas City, MO Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 55°F
- Avg annual temp
- 68/100
- Comfort score
- 39.3"
- Annual precip
- 194d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri averages 55°F a year and scores 68/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 58% of U.S. cities.
- 55°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 68/100
- comfort score, milder than 58% of U.S. cities
- 39.3"
- annual precipitation · 18" snow
- 194 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
55°F (13°C)
Avg High
65°F
Avg Low
45°F
Annual Precip
39.3"
Annual Snow
18.2"
Comfort Score
68/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
55°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
39.3"
Plus 18.2" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Kansas City) 68.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Kansas City area.
How Kansas City compares to every U.S. city
Kansas City's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
68 Top 42% higher than 58% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Kansas City
MethodologyKansas City's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38°F (4°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 1.2" | 4.9" | 27.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 44°F (6°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.5" | 5.9" | 22.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 55°F (13°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 2.4" | 1.7" | 13.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 66°F (19°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 4.0" | 0.3" | 3.4 | 0.2 |
| May | 75°F (24°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| June | 84°F (29°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.1 |
| July | 88°F (31°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 4.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 13.1 |
| August | 87°F (31°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 4.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 11.6 |
| September | 79°F (26°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| October | 67°F (20°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 56°F (14°C) | 3.3" | 0.3" | 2.3 | 0.2 |
| November | 54°F (12°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 2.0" | 1.1" | 13.3 | 0.0 |
| December | 42°F (6°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 1.6" | 4.0" | 24.6 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 1.2"
Snow: 4.9"
6.8 days with precipitation
February 1.5"
Snow: 5.9"
6.7 days with precipitation
March 2.4"
Snow: 1.7"
9.5 days with precipitation
April 4.0"
Snow: 0.3"
11.3 days with precipitation
May 5.3"
12.1 days with precipitation
June 5.3"
10.2 days with precipitation
July 4.6"
9.0 days with precipitation
August 4.2"
8.4 days with precipitation
September 4.0"
8.3 days with precipitation
October 3.3"
Snow: 0.3"
8.1 days with precipitation
November 2.0"
Snow: 1.1"
6.8 days with precipitation
December 1.6"
Snow: 4.0"
6.5 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 24
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 13
50% probability date
Growing Season
194 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,071
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,363
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 | 68% | 10.4 | 30% | 36% |
| February | 64% | 11.3 | 28% | 36% |
| March | 61% | 12.0 | 25% | 36% |
| April | 66% | 10.8 | 21% | 36% |
| May | 70% | 9.5 | 20% | 27% |
| June | 70% | 9.3 | 29% | 16% |
| July | 70% | 8.2 | 27% | 17% |
| August | 71% | 8.5 | 31% | 16% |
| September | 68% | 9.5 | 41% | 18% |
| October | 65% | 10.4 | 32% | 30% |
| November | 68% | 10.7 | 29% | 35% |
| December | 71% | 10.5 | 30% | 37% |
What Kansas City's climate means for you
Kansas City runs 55°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 194 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 13 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 5,071 heating and 1,363 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Kansas City, MO
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Kansas City, Missouri as a location with an annual average temperature of 55°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 65°F to a mean daily low of 45°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USW00003947, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Kansas City receives roughly 39.3 inches of precipitation each year, with 18.2 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 194 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 13 and the first fall freeze near October 24. For energy use, 5,071 heating degree days and 1,363 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Kansas City scores 68/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Kansas City, MO? ▼
The average annual temperature in Kansas City, Missouri is 55°F. The warmest month averages 88°F (31°C) and the coldest averages 20°F (-7°C).
How much rain does Kansas City get? ▼
Kansas City receives 39.3 inches of precipitation annually, including 18.2 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Kansas City? ▼
Kansas City has a climate comfort score of 68/100 (Good), milder than 58% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Kansas City? ▼
Kansas City has approximately 194 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 13 and the first fall freeze around October 24.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Kansas City? ▼
Kansas City has 5,071 heating degree days and 1,363 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Kansas City climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00003947 near Kansas City.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00003947. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.