Plum Creek, KS climate
Plum Creek has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Plum Creek feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Plum Creek 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 | 39° | 17° | 0.7" | 4.0" | 4 | 6 | 21° – 40° |
| February | 44° | 21° | 0.8" | 3.7" | 4 | 5 | 23° – 41° |
| March | 56° | 30° | 1.5" | 1.7" | 6 | 2 | 35° – 55° |
| April | 66° | 40° | 2.5" | 0.7" | 8 | 0 | 45° – 58° |
| May | 75° | 51° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| June | 87° | 62° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| July | 91° | 67° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 74° – 84° |
| August | 89° | 64° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 84° |
| September | 81° | 55° | 2.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 62° – 74° |
| October | 68° | 42° | 2.0" | 0.3" | 6 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| November | 54° | 30° | 1.2" | 1.3" | 4 | 1 | 34° – 49° |
| December | 42° | 20° | 1.0" | 3.9" | 4 | 4 | 20° – 36° |
| Year | 66° | 42° | 28.1" | 15.6" | 81 | 17 |
“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 Plum Creek
Plum Creek gets 28 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 81 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 17 days of the year.
About 181 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 19. That leaves about 181 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Plum Creek
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Plum Creek, 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.
Plum Creek and its neighbors
Plum Creek borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Prairie has the coldest January nights (17°) and Beloit the hottest July afternoons (92°). Plum Creek’s January low is 17° and its July high 91°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Plum Creek 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 Plum Creek averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 84% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Plum Creek’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 35° to 55°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Plum Creek’s climate
What is the coldest month in Plum Creek?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Plum Creek?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 67°. About 57 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Plum Creek get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Plum Creek?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in Plum Creek?
July, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 28 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Plum Creek itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Beloit, KS (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.