Independence, KS climate
Independence has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Independence feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Independence 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 | 37° | 18° | 0.9" | 5.0" | 5 | 8 | 21° – 39° |
| February | 42° | 22° | 1.2" | 4.8" | 5 | 7 | 23° – 42° |
| March | 54° | 33° | 2.2" | 1.8" | 7 | 2 | 36° – 58° |
| April | 65° | 43° | 3.7" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| May | 75° | 53° | 5.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 73° |
| June | 84° | 63° | 4.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| July | 88° | 67° | 5.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 83° |
| August | 87° | 65° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 70° – 81° |
| September | 79° | 56° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| October | 67° | 44° | 3.0" | 0.3" | 7 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 53° | 32° | 1.9" | 0.9" | 5 | 1 | 35° – 51° |
| December | 41° | 23° | 1.4" | 3.8" | 5 | 5 | 18° – 38° |
| Year | 64° | 43° | 36.5" | 17.0" | 89 | 23 |
“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 Independence
Independence gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 89 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 23 days of the year.
About 199 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first one by October 29. That leaves about 199 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Independence
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Independence, 79% of that work is heating and 21% 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.
Independence and its neighbors
Independence borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Wolf River has the coldest January nights (18°) and Shannon the hottest July afternoons (88°). Independence’s January low is 18° and its July high 88°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Independence 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 Independence averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Independence’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 58°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Independence’s climate
What is the coldest month in Independence?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Independence?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 67°. About 38 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Independence get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Independence?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 29, and the last spring frost by April 11.
What is the rainiest month in Independence?
July, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Independence itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Atchison, KS (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.