Shell Rock, KS climate
Shell Rock has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Shell Rock feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shell Rock 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 | 41° | 21° | 1.0" | 3.0" | 5 | 5 | 25° – 42° |
| February | 47° | 25° | 1.5" | 2.5" | 5 | 3 | 28° – 45° |
| March | 57° | 35° | 2.5" | 1.2" | 7 | 1 | 38° – 58° |
| April | 67° | 44° | 3.8" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| May | 75° | 54° | 5.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 72° |
| June | 84° | 64° | 5.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| July | 89° | 68° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 75° – 86° |
| August | 89° | 67° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 71° – 85° |
| September | 81° | 58° | 4.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 64° – 76° |
| October | 69° | 46° | 3.4" | 0.2" | 7 | 0 | 50° – 63° |
| November | 56° | 34° | 2.2" | 0.8" | 6 | 1 | 39° – 53° |
| December | 44° | 25° | 1.5" | 3.1" | 5 | 3 | 22° – 41° |
| Year | 67° | 45° | 38.8" | 10.9" | 86 | 13 |
“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 Shell Rock
Shell Rock gets 39 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 86 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 13 days of the year.
About 198 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 10 and the first one by October 28. That leaves about 198 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 71% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Shell Rock
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shell Rock, 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.
Shell Rock and its neighbors
Shell Rock borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Elmendaro has the coldest January nights (21°) and Lane the hottest July afternoons (90°). Shell Rock’s January low is 21° and its July high 89°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Shell Rock 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 Shell Rock averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.0°). The shift is smaller than in 86% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shell Rock’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 38° to 58°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Shell Rock’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shell Rock?
January, with a typical high of 41° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Shell Rock?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 68°. About 41 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shell Rock get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Shell Rock?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 28, and the last spring frost by April 10.
What is the rainiest month in Shell Rock?
May, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shell Rock itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Madison, KS (8 mi, snow) and Yates Ctr, KS (21 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.