Chelsea, KS climate
Chelsea has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chelsea feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chelsea 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 | 42° | 21° | 0.9" | 3.7" | 5 | 5 | 26° – 43° |
| February | 47° | 25° | 1.5" | 2.9" | 5 | 3 | 28° – 45° |
| March | 57° | 34° | 2.5" | 1.4" | 7 | 1 | 38° – 57° |
| April | 67° | 44° | 3.5" | 0.3" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| May | 75° | 54° | 5.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 73° |
| June | 85° | 64° | 5.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| July | 90° | 68° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 74° – 87° |
| August | 89° | 66° | 4.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 71° – 86° |
| September | 81° | 58° | 3.8" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| October | 69° | 46° | 3.2" | 0.2" | 7 | 0 | 50° – 63° |
| November | 56° | 34° | 2.0" | 1.0" | 5 | 1 | 38° – 52° |
| December | 44° | 24° | 1.4" | 3.6" | 5 | 4 | 22° – 40° |
| Year | 67° | 45° | 38.4" | 13.1" | 81 | 14 |
“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 Chelsea
Chelsea gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 81 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 14 days of the year.
About 186 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 18 and the first one by October 22. That leaves about 186 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 59% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chelsea
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chelsea, 78% of that work is heating and 22% 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.
Chelsea and its neighbors
Chelsea borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Sycamore has the coldest January nights (21°) and El Dorado the hottest July afternoons (91°). Chelsea’s January low is 21° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Chelsea 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 Chelsea averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.3°). The shift is smaller than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chelsea’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 38° to 57°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Chelsea’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chelsea?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Chelsea?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 68°. About 44 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chelsea get?
About 13 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Chelsea?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 18.
What is the rainiest month in Chelsea?
May, with 5.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chelsea itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Rosalia 1nw, KS (8 mi, snow) and Cassoday 2se, KS (7 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.