Rolla, KS climate
Rolla has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 18 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Rolla feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rolla 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 | 48° | 21° | 0.4" | 4.2" | 3 | 4 | 26° – 42° |
| February | 52° | 24° | 0.3" | 2.1" | 3 | 2 | 32° – 45° |
| March | 61° | 31° | 1.0" | 3.5" | 4 | 2 | 40° – 53° |
| April | 70° | 39° | 1.3" | 0.4" | 5 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| May | 79° | 50° | 2.0" | 0.8" | 6 | 0 | 58° – 71° |
| June | 90° | 60° | 2.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| July | 94° | 65° | 2.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 75° – 85° |
| August | 91° | 63° | 3.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 72° – 83° |
| September | 84° | 55° | 1.4" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 64° – 76° |
| October | 72° | 42° | 1.6" | 0.7" | 4 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| November | 59° | 30° | 0.5" | 1.2" | 3 | 1 | 37° – 50° |
| December | 48° | 22° | 0.7" | 4.7" | 4 | 4 | 30° – 39° |
| Year | 71° | 42° | 17.7" | 17.6" | 57 | 14 |
“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 Rolla
Rolla gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 57 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 14 days of the year.
About 186 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 186 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 59% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Rolla
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rolla, 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 Rolla 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 Rolla averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°). The shift is smaller than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rolla’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 26° to 42°. July is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Rolla’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rolla?
January, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Rolla?
July, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 65°. About 75 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rolla get?
About 18 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Rolla?
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 Rolla?
August, with 3.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rolla itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Elkhart, KS (16 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.