West Plains, KS climate
West Plains has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in West Plains feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
West Plains 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 | 47° | 20° | 0.6" | 4.6" | 3 | 3 | 26° – 42° |
| February | 51° | 23° | 0.5" | 2.0" | 4 | 2 | 29° – 45° |
| March | 61° | 32° | 1.3" | 3.5" | 4 | 1 | 39° – 55° |
| April | 69° | 40° | 1.9" | 0.4" | 6 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| May | 79° | 51° | 2.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 58° – 72° |
| June | 89° | 61° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 80° |
| July | 93° | 66° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 76° – 87° |
| August | 91° | 65° | 2.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 72° – 84° |
| September | 84° | 56° | 1.5" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| October | 71° | 43° | 1.8" | 0.2" | 5 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| November | 58° | 30° | 0.7" | 1.5" | 3 | 1 | 37° – 51° |
| December | 47° | 22° | 0.9" | 4.7" | 3 | 3 | 29° – 39° |
| Year | 70° | 42° | 21.4" | 16.9" | 62 | 11 |
“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 West Plains
West Plains gets 21 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 62 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 11 days of the year.
About 183 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 20 and the first one by October 22. That leaves about 183 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 56% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in West Plains
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In West Plains, 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.
West Plains and its neighbors
West Plains borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Mertilla has the coldest January nights (20°) and Meade Center the hottest July afternoons (94°). West Plains’s January low is 20° and its July high 93°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How West Plains 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 West Plains averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 86% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at West Plains’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°. December is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about West Plains’s climate
What is the coldest month in West Plains?
January, with a typical high of 47° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in West Plains?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 66°. About 83 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does West Plains get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in West Plains?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 20.
What is the rainiest month in West Plains?
June, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 21 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for West Plains itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Meade, KS (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.