Smith Center, KS climate
Smith Center has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 18 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Smith Center feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Smith Center 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° | 16° | 0.6" | 4.4" | 4 | 8 | 20° – 39° |
| February | 44° | 19° | 0.8" | 5.9" | 4 | 8 | 22° – 41° |
| March | 56° | 29° | 1.4" | 2.3" | 7 | 2 | 35° – 55° |
| April | 66° | 38° | 2.1" | 0.7" | 8 | 0 | 44° – 57° |
| May | 75° | 49° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| June | 86° | 60° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 78° |
| July | 91° | 65° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 73° – 84° |
| August | 88° | 63° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 83° |
| September | 81° | 54° | 2.1" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 61° – 74° |
| October | 68° | 41° | 1.9" | 0.5" | 6 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 54° | 28° | 1.1" | 1.5" | 5 | 1 | 33° – 48° |
| December | 42° | 19° | 0.8" | 3.0" | 4 | 6 | 22° – 35° |
| Year | 66° | 40° | 26.2" | 18.3" | 84 | 27 |
“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 Smith Center
Smith Center gets 26 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 84 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 27 days of the year.
About 173 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 173 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 57% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Smith Center
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Smith Center, 81% of that work is heating and 19% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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 Smith Center 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 Smith Center averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Smith Center’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 10°.
Common questions about Smith Center’s climate
What is the coldest month in Smith Center?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Smith Center?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 65°. About 61 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Smith Center get?
About 18 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Smith Center?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Smith Center?
July, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Smith Center itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Smith Ctr, KS (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.