Empire, KS climate
Empire has chilly winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Empire feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Empire 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° | 20° | 0.7" | 3.2" | 4 | 5 | 24° – 42° |
| February | 47° | 23° | 1.0" | 3.0" | 4 | 5 | 27° – 43° |
| March | 58° | 33° | 1.9" | 1.6" | 6 | 1 | 37° – 56° |
| April | 67° | 41° | 2.6" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| May | 77° | 52° | 4.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 58° – 73° |
| June | 88° | 63° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 81° |
| July | 93° | 68° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 76° – 86° |
| August | 90° | 66° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 72° – 84° |
| September | 83° | 57° | 2.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| October | 70° | 44° | 2.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 49° – 63° |
| November | 56° | 31° | 1.2" | 0.8" | 4 | 1 | 36° – 51° |
| December | 44° | 22° | 1.1" | 2.9" | 4 | 4 | 23° – 38° |
| Year | 68° | 43° | 30.4" | 11.6" | 79 | 15 |
“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 Empire
Empire gets 30 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 79 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 15 days of the year.
About 184 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 23. That leaves about 184 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 57% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Empire
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Empire, 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.
Empire and its neighbors
Empire borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Ash Creek has the coldest January nights (20°) and Spring Creek the hottest July afternoons (93°). Empire’s January low is 20° and its July high 93°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Empire 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 Empire averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Empire’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 Empire’s climate
What is the coldest month in Empire?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Empire?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 68°. About 57 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Empire get?
About 12 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Empire?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in Empire?
May, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Empire itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kanopolis Lake, KS (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.