Ellsworth, KS climate
Ellsworth has chilly winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ellsworth feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ellsworth 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° | 19° | 0.7" | 3.8" | 4 | 6 | 23° – 42° |
| February | 46° | 22° | 1.0" | 4.7" | 4 | 6 | 26° – 43° |
| March | 58° | 32° | 1.8" | 1.3" | 6 | 1 | 37° – 56° |
| April | 67° | 41° | 2.4" | 0.4" | 7 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| May | 76° | 51° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 58° – 72° |
| June | 88° | 62° | 3.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 69° – 80° |
| July | 93° | 67° | 4.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 75° – 86° |
| August | 90° | 65° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 72° – 84° |
| September | 82° | 57° | 2.5" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 64° – 76° |
| October | 70° | 44° | 2.1" | 0.4" | 5 | 0 | 49° – 62° |
| November | 55° | 31° | 1.2" | 1.2" | 4 | 1 | 35° – 51° |
| December | 44° | 22° | 1.1" | 4.4" | 4 | 5 | 23° – 38° |
| Year | 68° | 43° | 29.3" | 16.2" | 70 | 19 |
“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 Ellsworth
Ellsworth gets 29 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 70 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 19 days of the year.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first one by October 16. That leaves about 175 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ellsworth
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ellsworth, 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.
How Ellsworth 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 Ellsworth averaged 0.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ellsworth’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 37° to 56°. July is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Ellsworth’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ellsworth?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Ellsworth?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 67°. About 63 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ellsworth get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Ellsworth?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Ellsworth?
May, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 29 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ellsworth itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ellsworth, KS (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.