Atchison, MO climate
Atchison has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeRight about normal today. The forecast high is 73°, and a typical Sep 30 in Atchison peaks around 72°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Atchison feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Atchison 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 15° | 0.8" | 5.2" | 6 | 16° – 37° |
| February | 39° | 19° | 1.2" | 4.4" | 6 | 20° – 39° |
| March | 52° | 30° | 2.2" | 1.6" | 8 | 34° – 56° |
| April | 63° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.8" | 10 | 44° – 57° |
| May | 73° | 51° | 5.4" | 0 | 12 | 57° – 71° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 5.1" | 0 | 11 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 86° | 65° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 70° – 82° |
| August | 85° | 63° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 68° – 78° |
| September | 78° | 54° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 60° – 72° |
| October | 66° | 42° | 2.8" | 0.1" | 8 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 50° | 30° | 1.9" | 0.6" | 6 | 31° – 50° |
| December | 38° | 20° | 1.4" | 2.6" | 5 | 14° – 35° |
| Year | 62° | 41° | 36.3" | 15.3" | 97 |
“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 Atchison
Atchison gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 97 days a year.
About 180 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 17. That leaves about 180 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Atchison
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Atchison, 85% of that work is heating and 15% 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.
Atchison and its neighbors
Atchison borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Braddyville has the coldest January nights (15°) and Lincoln the hottest July afternoons (86°). Atchison’s January low is 15° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Atchison 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 Atchison averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Atchison’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 34° to 56°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Atchison’s climate
What is the coldest month in Atchison?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 15°.
What is the hottest month in Atchison?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 65°. About 31 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Atchison get?
About 15 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Atchison?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 17, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in Atchison?
May, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Atchison itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Maryville 2e, MO (15 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.