Wakarusa, KS climate
Wakarusa has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Wakarusa feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Wakarusa 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 | 40° | 20° | 1.0" | 2.1" | 5 | 5 | 23° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 24° | 1.5" | 3.3" | 6 | 3 | 27° – 45° |
| March | 57° | 34° | 2.3" | 0.8" | 8 | 1 | 39° – 59° |
| April | 67° | 44° | 3.8" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| May | 76° | 54° | 5.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 74° |
| June | 85° | 64° | 5.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| July | 90° | 68° | 4.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 74° – 86° |
| August | 89° | 67° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 84° |
| September | 80° | 57° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 63° – 76° |
| October | 68° | 45° | 3.1" | 0.3" | 7 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| November | 55° | 34° | 2.0" | 0.9" | 5 | 0 | 37° – 52° |
| December | 43° | 24° | 1.6" | 2.9" | 5 | 2 | 20° – 39° |
| Year | 66° | 45° | 38.4" | 10.4" | 90 | 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 Wakarusa
Wakarusa gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 90 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 13 days of the year.
About 199 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 12 and the first one by October 28. That leaves about 199 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Wakarusa
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Wakarusa, 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.
Wakarusa and its neighbors
Wakarusa borders 9 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.4°. Rural has the coldest January nights (19°) and Grant the hottest July afternoons (90°). Wakarusa’s January low is 20° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Wakarusa 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 Wakarusa averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 86% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Wakarusa’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 39° to 59°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Wakarusa’s climate
What is the coldest month in Wakarusa?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Wakarusa?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 68°. About 42 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Wakarusa get?
About 10 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Wakarusa?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 28, and the last spring frost by April 12.
What is the rainiest month in Wakarusa?
June, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Wakarusa itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lawrence, KS (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.