Alton, KS climate
Alton has chilly winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 18 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Alton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Alton weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 17° | 0.6" | 3.8" | 4 | 8 | 21° – 40° |
| February | 46° | 20° | 0.7" | 4.8" | 5 | 8 | 23° – 41° |
| March | 57° | 30° | 1.3" | 2.0" | 6 | 3 | 36° – 55° |
| April | 67° | 39° | 2.1" | 1.2" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 58° |
| May | 76° | 49° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| June | 88° | 61° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| July | 93° | 65° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 74° – 85° |
| August | 90° | 64° | 3.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 84° |
| September | 82° | 54° | 2.1" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 62° – 75° |
| October | 69° | 41° | 1.8" | 0.4" | 6 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| November | 55° | 28° | 1.1" | 2.1" | 5 | 2 | 34° – 49° |
| December | 43° | 19° | 0.8" | 3.3" | 3 | 7 | 22° – 36° |
| Year | 67° | 40° | 25.4" | 17.6" | 81 | 29 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Alton
Alton gets 25 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 81 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 29 days of the year.
About 164 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Alton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Alton, 81% of that work is heating and 19% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Alton compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Alton averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°). The shift is smaller than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Alton’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 36° to 55°. June is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Alton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Alton?
January, with a typical high of 41° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Alton?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 65°. About 64 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Alton get?
About 18 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Alton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Alton?
July, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 25 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Alton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Alton 1 W, KS (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.