Bolton, KS climate
Bolton has chilly winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Bolton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bolton 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 | 46° | 24° | 1.0" | 1.8" | 5 | 2 | 30° – 45° |
| February | 51° | 27° | 1.4" | 1.1" | 6 | 1 | 32° – 47° |
| March | 61° | 36° | 2.7" | 1.1" | 7 | 1 | 42° – 59° |
| April | 70° | 45° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 8 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| May | 78° | 55° | 5.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 62° – 74° |
| June | 88° | 65° | 5.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 71° – 82° |
| July | 93° | 70° | 4.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 76° – 89° |
| August | 91° | 68° | 4.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 73° – 86° |
| September | 84° | 60° | 2.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 67° – 79° |
| October | 72° | 48° | 3.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| November | 59° | 36° | 1.9" | 0.2" | 6 | 0 | 41° – 55° |
| December | 48° | 26° | 1.5" | 1.9" | 5 | 2 | 26° – 42° |
| Year | 70° | 47° | 37.4" | 6.2" | 85 | 7 |
“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 Bolton
Bolton gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 85 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 7 days of the year.
About 197 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first one by October 27. That leaves about 197 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 70% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bolton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bolton, 70% of that work is heating and 30% is cooling.
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.
Bolton and its neighbors
Bolton borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Creswell has the coldest January nights (23°) and Walton the hottest July afternoons (93°). Bolton’s January low is 24° and its July high 93°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Bolton 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 Bolton averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bolton’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 42° to 59°. June is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Bolton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bolton?
January, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Bolton?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 70°. About 65 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Bolton get?
About 6 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Bolton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 27, and the last spring frost by April 11.
What is the rainiest month in Bolton?
May, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bolton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Arkansas City, KS (2 mi, snow) and Winfield Strother Fld Airport, KS (9 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.