Kansas City, MO Climate & Monthly Averages
Kansas City has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 88° by day; January is the coldest at 40°.
Kansas City's climate is a story of contrasts
Seasons are the whole story in Kansas City. The gap between an average July and an average January is 27°C - hot, humid summers and generally mild winters - which in practice means 88°F (31°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 40°F (4°C) at the other.
July
88° by day 71° at nightJanuary
40° by day 23° at nightThe two ends of the year
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 3 months, December through February. July is the warm end of the year, averaging 88°F (31°C) by day and 71°F (22°C) overnight. January bottoms out at 40°F (4°C) in daylight, 23°F (-5°C) after dark. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 102°F (39°C) and bottoms at -18°F (-28°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 3 months of the year, June through August being the unbroken run.
Snow falls on roughly 10 days a year, mostly November through March. May is the wettest month at 6.4 inches (162 mm) over 15 days; February is the driest.
More climate facts for Kansas City
- Hottest month: July - highs near 88°F (31°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 40°F (4°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 102°F (39°C) high · -18°F (-28°C) low
- Wettest month: May (15 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (12.2 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 27°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 10 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 3
- Average humidity: 68%
Four distinct parts of the year in Kansas City
Spring (March through May)
Spring is crisp but comfortable here - highs near 66°F (19°C), nights near 46°F (8°C), and rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Kansas City sits firmly in the heat: 87°F (31°C) by day, 69°F (21°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.7 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Kansas City stays on the cool side of mild, with daytime highs averaging 68°F (20°C) and nights around 51°F (10°C); expect showers on roughly 22 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Kansas City is brisk and cold, with daytime highs averaging 43°F (6°C) and nights around 26°F (-3°C); expect showers on roughly 20 days across the season, plus about 7 snowy days.
Kansas City temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Choosing a season in Kansas City
Best time to visit Kansas City
The best time to visit Kansas City is generally September to November and April, when warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 67°F (20°C), with rain on about 8 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in September.
What to pack
Pack for Kansas City with light clothing for the warm months, a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Even in July, lows of 71°F (22°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 23° | 8 | 1.9 in | 6.1 h/day | 9.7 h | 24% | 69% |
| February | 44° | 25° | 6 | 1.5 in | 7.9 h/day | 10.7 h | 22% | 64% |
| March | 56° | 37° | 9 | 3.4 in | 7.9 h/day | 11.8 h | 30% | 66% |
| April | 65° | 45° | 11 | 4.3 in | 9.5 h/day | 13.2 h | 37% | 63% |
| May | 75° | 57° | 15 | 6.4 in | 9.6 h/day | 14.3 h | 48% | 71% |
| June | 86° | 67° | 11 | 5.3 in | 12.2 h/day | 14.9 h | 37% | 68% |
| July | 88° | 71° | 11 | 5.3 in | 11.8 h/day | 14.7 h | 35% | 71% |
| August | 86° | 69° | 11 | 5.3 in | 11.2 h/day | 13.7 h | 35% | 71% |
| September | 82° | 64° | 7 | 3.0 in | 10.5 h/day | 12.4 h | 24% | 68% |
| October | 68° | 50° | 8 | 3.9 in | 8.4 h/day | 11.1 h | 25% | 64% |
| November | 54° | 38° | 7 | 2.7 in | 7.2 h/day | 10.0 h | 23% | 69% |
| December | 45° | 29° | 6 | 1.9 in | 6.4 h/day | 9.4 h | 19% | 70% |
Kansas City from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Kansas City's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 6.1 h
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
- Snow
- 3 days
February
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 10.7 h
- Snow
- 2 days
March
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 1 day
April
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 13.2 h
May
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 9.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.3 h
June
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 12.2 h
- Daylight
- 14.9 h
July
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.8 h
- Daylight
- 14.7 h
August
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
September
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 10.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 8.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
November
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 7.2 h
- Daylight
- 10.0 h
- Snow
- 1 day
December
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.4 h
- Snow
- 1 day
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Kansas City's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Kansas City sits among other climates
- Its warmest and coolest months are 27°C apart - a wider seasonal swing than 91% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.