Riley, KS climate
Riley has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Riley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Riley 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° | 19° | 0.7" | 4.6" | 4 | 7 | 23° – 40° |
| February | 44° | 22° | 1.1" | 3.0" | 4 | 4 | 26° – 42° |
| March | 56° | 32° | 2.0" | 1.1" | 6 | 1 | 37° – 57° |
| April | 66° | 42° | 3.2" | 0.5" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 53° | 4.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 58° – 73° |
| June | 85° | 63° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| July | 90° | 67° | 4.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 74° – 85° |
| August | 88° | 65° | 4.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 84° |
| September | 80° | 56° | 2.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 63° – 76° |
| October | 68° | 44° | 2.4" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| November | 54° | 31° | 1.5" | 1.0" | 5 | 1 | 35° – 51° |
| December | 42° | 22° | 1.2" | 3.4" | 4 | 7 | 20° – 37° |
| Year | 66° | 43° | 33.1" | 13.7" | 79 | 20 |
“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 Riley
Riley gets 33 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 20 days of the year.
About 185 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by October 19. That leaves about 185 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 58% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Riley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Riley, 77% of that work is heating and 23% 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 Riley 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 Riley averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Riley’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 57°. June is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Riley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Riley?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Riley?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 67°. About 59 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Riley get?
About 14 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Riley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Riley?
May, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Riley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Randolph 4 Wnw, KS (11 mi, snow) and Manhattan, KS (15 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.