Pawnee has chilly winters and hot summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Pawnee at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Pawnee feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
12 inches of snow, 26 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 73 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 182 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 22 and the first by October 22.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Pawnee’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
182 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 22 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 22.
About 12" a winter over 5 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 19 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through April. Heating is 75% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 79 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 92°.
The nicest months are April, May, September and October. 2.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Pawnee and its neighbors
Morton has the coldest January nights next door (19°) and Morton the hottest July afternoons (93°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Pawnee averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.8°).
A smaller shift than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Pawnee compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Kansas.
Pawnee 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 | 44° | 20° | 0.7" | 2.2" | 3 | 6 | 24° – 42° |
| February | 48° | 23° | 0.9" | 2.6" | 4 | 4 | 27° – 43° |
| March | 58° | 32° | 1.6" | 2.3" | 6 | 2 | 38° – 55° |
| April | 68° | 40° | 2.1" | 0.3" | 7 | 0 | 47° – 61° |
| May | 77° | 51° | 4.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| June | 87° | 62° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| July | 92° | 66° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 76° – 86° |
| August | 90° | 65° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 83° |
| September | 83° | 56° | 1.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| October | 70° | 43° | 2.1" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| November | 56° | 30° | 0.9" | 1.7" | 4 | 1 | 36° – 51° |
| December | 45° | 22° | 1.0" | 2.3" | 4 | 5 | 26° – 38° |
| Year | 68° | 42° | 25.5" | 11.5" | 73 | 19 |
Heating and cooling a home in Pawnee
75% of the work is heating.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 24° to 42°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Pawnee’s climate
What is the coldest month in Pawnee?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Pawnee?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 66°. About 79 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Pawnee get?
About 12 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Pawnee?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 22.
What is the rainiest month in Pawnee?
May, with 4.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Pawnee.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Pawnee itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Great Bend 3w, KS (21 mi, snow) and Larned #2, KS (5 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.