Geography of Kansas
{{Short description|none}}
File:Great Plains LCC (14285769265).jpg of Kansas]]
The U.S. state of Kansas is bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. The state is divided into 105 counties with 628 cities, with its largest county by area being Butler County.{{cite web|url=http://www.usa.com/rank/kansas-state--land-area--county-rank.htm|title=Kansas Land Area County Rank|website=www.usa.com}} Kansas is located equidistant from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is in Smith County near Lebanon. Until 1989, the Meades Ranch Triangulation Station in Osborne County was the geodetic center of North America: the central reference point for all maps of North America. According to the Kansas Geological Survey, the geographic center of Kansas is near Bushton in northwest Rice County.
Geology and topography
{{Main|Geology of Kansas}}
Kansas is underlain by a sequence of horizontal to gently westward dipping sedimentary rocks. A sequence of Mississippian, Pennsylvanian and Permian rocks outcrop in the eastern and southern part of the state. The state's western half has exposures of Cretaceous through Tertiary sediments, the latter derived from the erosion of the uplifted Rocky Mountains to the west. These are underlain by older Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments which correlate well with the outcrops to the east. The state's northeastern corner was subjected to glaciation in the Pleistocene and is covered by glacial drift and loess.
File:KS-PhysiographicDivisions.png
Kansas has been divided into eleven different physiographic regions.{{cite web |title=Physiographic Regions |url=https://geokansas.ku.edu/physiographic-regions |website=Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) at University of Kansas (KU) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006075337/https://geokansas.ku.edu/physiographic-regions |archive-date=October 6, 2021 |url-status=live}}
The western two-thirds of the state, lying in the great central plain of the United States, has a generally flat or undulating surface, while the eastern third has many hills and forests. The land gradually rises from east to west; its altitude ranges from {{convert|684|ft|m|sp=us|abbr=on}} along the Verdigris River at Coffeyville in Montgomery County, to {{convert|4039|ft|m|sp=us|abbr=on}} at Mount Sunflower, {{convert|0.5|mi|km|abbr=off|sp=us}} from the Colorado border, in Wallace County. It is a common misconception that Kansas is the flattest state in the nation—in 2003, a tongue-in-cheek study famously declared the state "flatter than a pancake".{{cite web |url = http://improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume9/v9i3/kansas.html |title = Kansas Is Flatter Than a Pancake |publisher = Improbable.com |access-date = July 31, 2010 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100730133707/http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume9/v9i3/kansas.html |archive-date = July 30, 2010}} In fact, Kansas has a maximum topographic relief of {{convert|3360|ft|m|sp=us|abbr=on}},{{cite web|url = https://www.infoplease.com/world/united-states-geography/highest-lowest-and-mean-elevations-united-states |title = Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations in the United States |publisher = infoplease.com | access-date = May 20, 2018}} making it the 23rd flattest U.S. state measured by maximum relief.{{cite web |url = http://www.geotimes.org/oct03/NN_pancake.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040124015708/http://www.geotimes.org/oct03/NN_pancake.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = January 24, 2004 |title = Fracas over Kansas pancake flap |publisher = Geotimes.org |access-date = July 31, 2010 }}
Features
=Rivers=
File:Spring River 2006-07-03 2104.jpg, Kansas]]
Nearly {{convert|75|mi|km|sp=us|abbr=on}} of the state's northeastern boundary is defined by the Missouri River. The Kansas River (locally known as the Kaw), formed by the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers at appropriately-named Junction City, joins the Missouri River at Kansas City, after a course of {{convert|170|mi|km|sp=us|abbr=on}} across the northeastern part of the state.
The Arkansas River (pronunciation varies), rising in Colorado, flows with a bending course for nearly {{convert|500|mi|km|sp=us|abbr=on}} across the western and southern parts of the state. With its tributaries, (the Little Arkansas, Ninnescah, Walnut, Cow Creek, Cimarron, Verdigris, and the Neosho), it forms the southern drainage system of the state.
Kansas's other rivers are the Saline and Solomon Rivers, tributaries of the Smoky Hill River; the Big Blue, Delaware, and Wakarusa, which flow into the Kansas River; and the Marais des Cygnes, a tributary of the Missouri River. Spring River is located between Riverton and Baxter Springs.
=National parks and historic sites=
Areas under the protection of the National Park Service include:{{cite web |title = Kansas |publisher = National Park Service |access-date = July 15, 2008 |url = https://www.nps.gov/state/ks/index.htm |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061217124957/http://www.nps.gov/state/KS/ |archive-date = December 17, 2006}}
- Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka
- California National Historic Trail
- Fort Larned National Historic Site in Larned
- Fort Scott National Historic Site
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- Nicodemus National Historic Site at Nicodemus
- Oregon National Historic Trail
- Pony Express National Historic Trail
- Santa Fe National Historic Trail
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City
Flora and fauna
In Kansas, there are currently 238 species of rare animals and 400 rare plants.{{cite web|date=February 12, 2013|title=Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory: Rare plants and animals, and natural communities|url=https://biosurvey.ku.edu/ksnhi/rare-plants-and-animals|access-date=March 16, 2021|website=Kansas Biological Survey}} Among those include: smooth rockcress, Virginia rail, Cleft Ledge, royal fern, turkey-tangle, bobolink, cave salamander, peregrine falcon, and black-footed ferrets.{{cite web|last=Kansas|first=Natural Heritage Inventory|date=January 9, 2014|title=Rare Vertebrates Kansas|url=https://biosurvey.ku.edu/sites/kbs.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/Rare%20Vertebrates%2009Jan2014.pdf|access-date=October 19, 2022|archive-date=May 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510002221/https://biosurvey.ku.edu/sites/kbs.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/Rare%20Vertebrates%2009Jan2014.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Kansas|first=Natural Heritage Inventory|date=January 9, 2014|title=Rare Vertebrates of Kansas|url=https://biosurvey.ku.edu/sites/kbs.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/Rare%20Vertebrates%2009Jan2014.pdf|access-date=October 19, 2022|archive-date=May 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510002221/https://biosurvey.ku.edu/sites/kbs.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/Rare%20Vertebrates%2009Jan2014.pdf|url-status=dead}} Common animal species and grasses include: crows, deer, lesser prairie-chickens, mice, moles, opossum, prairie dogs, raccoon, eastern gamagrass, prairie dropseed, Indiangrass, little bluestem, switchgrass, northern wood-oats, upright sedge, sideoats grama, and big bluestem.{{cite web|last=K-State Research|first=and Extension|title=Native Plants|url=https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/docs/crops-livestock/native-grass-seed/Native%20Plants%20-%20EMG.pdf|website=www.johnson.k-state.edu }}{{cite web|title=Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses|url=https://www.kswildflower.org/|access-date=March 16, 2021|website=www.kswildflower.org}}
Climate
File:Köppen Climate Types Kansas.png of Kansas, using 1991-2020 climate normals.]]
File:Kansas Summer Wheat and Storm Panorama.jpg
According to the Köppen climate classification, Kansas's climate can be characterized in terms of three types: it has humid continental, semi-arid steppe, and humid subtropical. The eastern two-thirds of the state (especially the northeastern portion) has a humid continental climate, with cool to cold winters and hot, often humid summers. Most of the precipitation falls during both the summer and the spring.
The western third of the state—from roughly the U.S. Route 83 corridor westward—has a semi-arid steppe climate. Summers are hot, often very hot, and generally less humid. Winters are highly changeable between warm and very cold. The western region receives an average of about {{convert|16|in|mm|abbr=off|sp=us}} of precipitation per year. Chinook winds in the winter can warm western Kansas all the way into the {{convert|80|°F|°C|abbr=off}} range.
The south-central and southeastern portions of the state, including the Wichita area, have a humid subtropical climate with hot and humid summers, milder winters, and more precipitation than elsewhere in Kansas. Some features of all three climates can be found in most of the state, with droughts and changeable weather between dry and humid not uncommon, and both warm and cold spells in the winter.
Temperatures in areas between U.S. Routes 83 and 81, as well as the southwestern portion of the state along and south of U.S. 50, reach {{convert|90|°F|°C|abbr=}} or above on most days of June, July, and August. High humidity added to the high temperatures sends the heat index into life-threatening territory, especially in Wichita, Hutchinson, Salina, Russell, Hays, and Great Bend. Temperatures are often higher in Dodge City, Garden City, and Liberal, but the heat index in those three cities is usually lower than the actual air temperature.
Although temperatures of {{convert|100|°F|°C}} or higher are not as common in areas east of U.S. 81, higher humidity and the urban heat island effect lead most summer days to heat indices between {{convert|107|°F|°C}} and {{convert|114|°F|°C}} in Topeka, Lawrence, and the Kansas City metropolitan area. Also, combined with humidity between 85 and 95 percent, dangerous heat indices can be experienced at every hour of the day.
Precipitation ranges from about {{convert|47|in|mm}} annually in the state's southeast corner to about {{convert|16|in|mm}} in the southwest. Snowfall ranges from around {{convert|5|in|mm}} in the fringes of the south, to {{convert|35|in|mm}} in the far northwest. Frost-free days range from more than 200 days in the south, to 130 days in the northwest. Thus, Kansas is the country's ninth or tenth sunniest state, depending on the source. Western Kansas is as sunny as parts of California and Arizona.
Kansas is prone to severe weather, especially in the spring and the early-summer. Despite the frequent sunshine throughout much of the state, due to its location at a climatic boundary prone to intrusions of multiple air masses, the state is vulnerable to strong and severe thunderstorms. Some of these storms become supercell thunderstorms; these can produce some tornadoes, occasionally those of EF3 strength or higher. Kansas averages more than 50 tornadoes annually.{{cite web |title = Annual Average Number of Tornadoes, 1953–2004 |url = http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif |publisher = National Climatic Data Center |access-date = October 25, 2006 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111016174155/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif |archive-date = October 16, 2011}} Severe thunderstorms sometimes drop some very large hail over Kansas as well. Furthermore, these storms can even bring in flash flooding and damaging straight line winds.
According to NOAA, the all-time highest temperature recorded in Kansas is ({{convert|121|°F|°C|disp=or|sigfig=3}}) on July 24, 1936, near Alton in Osborne County, and the all-time low is {{convert|-40|°F|°C}} on February 13, 1905, near Lebanon in Smith County. Alton and Lebanon are approximately {{convert|50|mi|km}} apart.{{cite web|title=Records for the State of Kansas|url=http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ict/?n=ksrecords|work=National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office – Wichita, KS|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=January 31, 2012}}
Kansas's record high of {{convert|121|°F|°C|sigfig=3}} ties with North Dakota for the fifth-highest record high in an American state, behind California ({{convert|134|°F|°C|disp=or|sigfig=3}}), Arizona ({{convert|128|°F|°C|disp=or|sigfig=3}}), Nevada ({{convert|125|°F|°C|disp=or|sigfig=3}}), and New Mexico ({{convert|122|°F|°C|disp=or}}).{{cite web|title=Record Highest Temperatures by State (through 2003)|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/pub/data/special/maxtemps.pdf|work=NOAA.gov|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=January 31, 2012}}National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; [ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/special/location.pdf ‘Monthly State Maximum/Minimum Extremes’]{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
=Climate data=
{{Weather box
|location = Topeka (Köppen Cfa/Dfa){{efn|1981−2010 normals, extremes 1887−present. Official records for Topeka kept at the Weather Bureau Office from June 1887 to July 1946, and at Philip Billard Municipal Airport since August 1946. For more information, see [http://threadex.rcc-acis.org Threadex]}}
|collapsed = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan high F = 39.9
|Feb high F = 45.0
|Mar high F = 56.4
|Apr high F = 66.7
|May high F = 75.9
|Jun high F = 84.7
|Jul high F = 89.5
|Aug high F = 88.6
|Sep high F = 80.4
|Oct high F = 68.4
|Nov high F = 54.6
|Dec high F = 41.7
|year high F= 66.1
| Jan mean F = 29.7
| Feb mean F = 34.4
| Mar mean F = 44.8
| Apr mean F = 55.1
| May mean F = 65.0
| Jun mean F = 74.2
| Jul mean F = 79.0
| Aug mean F = 77.4
| Sep mean F = 68.4
| Oct mean F = 56.6
| Nov mean F = 43.8
| Dec mean F = 32.0
| year mean F = 55.0
|Jan low F = 19.6
|Feb low F = 23.8
|Mar low F = 33.3
|Apr low F = 43.5
|May low F = 54.2
|Jun low F = 63.7
|Jul low F = 68.4
|Aug low F = 66.2
|Sep low F = 56.3
|Oct low F = 44.7
|Nov low F = 33.0
|Dec low F = 22.3
|year low F= 44.2
|Jan avg record high F = 63.0
|Feb avg record high F = 69.4
|Mar avg record high F = 78.7
|Apr avg record high F = 86.1
|May avg record high F = 90.2
|Jun avg record high F = 94.8
|Jul avg record high F = 99.7
|Aug avg record high F =100.0
|Sep avg record high F = 93.7
|Oct avg record high F = 86.8
|Nov avg record high F = 74.5
|Dec avg record high F = 63.7
|year avg record high F=101.8
|Jan avg record low F = 0.2
|Feb avg record low F = 3.2
|Mar avg record low F = 15.7
|Apr avg record low F = 27.1
|May avg record low F = 38.8
|Jun avg record low F = 50.4
|Jul avg record low F = 56.6
|Aug avg record low F = 53.4
|Sep avg record low F = 38.8
|Oct avg record low F = 27.9
|Nov avg record low F = 16.7
|Dec avg record low F = 3.1
|year avg record low F= −6.3
|Jan record high F = 78
|Feb record high F = 84
|Mar record high F = 93
|Apr record high F = 97
|May record high F = 103
|Jun record high F = 109
|Jul record high F = 114
|Aug record high F = 113
|Sep record high F = 110
|Oct record high F = 97
|Nov record high F = 85
|Dec record high F = 77
|Jan record low F = −23
|Feb record low F = −25
|Mar record low F = −7
|Apr record low F = 10
|May record low F = 26
|Jun record low F = 36
|Jul record low F = 43
|Aug record low F = 40
|Sep record low F = 29
|Oct record low F = 16
|Nov record low F = −5
|Dec record low F = −26
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.86
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.32
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.49
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.53
|May precipitation inch = 4.91
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.40
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.82
|Aug precipitation inch = 4.24
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.66
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.03
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.85
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.35
|year precipitation inch=36.46
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 1.0
|Dec snow inch = 5.2
|Jan snow inch = 4.9
|Feb snow inch = 4.5
|Mar snow inch = 1.6
|Apr snow inch = 0.3
|May snow inch = 0
|Jun snow inch = 0
|year snow inch=17.8
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 5.5
|Feb precipitation days = 6.3
|Mar precipitation days = 9.0
|Apr precipitation days = 9.7
|May precipitation days = 11.6
|Jun precipitation days = 11.5
|Jul precipitation days = 8.7
|Aug precipitation days = 8.6
|Sep precipitation days = 7.8
|Oct precipitation days = 8.1
|Nov precipitation days = 6.8
|Dec precipitation days = 6.0
|year precipitation days= 99.6
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 1.2
|Dec snow days = 3.4
|Jan snow days = 3.6
|Feb snow days = 2.9
|Mar snow days = 1.3
|Apr snow days = 0.3
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|year snow days=12.7
|Jan sun = 177.4 |Jan percentsun = 59
|Feb sun = 168.8 |Feb percentsun = 56
|Mar sun = 212.6 |Mar percentsun = 57
|Apr sun = 231.7 |Apr percentsun = 58
|May sun = 268.5 |May percentsun = 60
|Jun sun = 293.0 |Jun percentsun = 66
|Jul sun = 326.9 |Jul percentsun = 72
|Aug sun = 291.7 |Aug percentsun = 69
|Sep sun = 233.4 |Sep percentsun = 63
|Oct sun = 212.4 |Oct percentsun = 61
|Nov sun = 157.8 |Nov percentsun = 52
|Dec sun = 150.5 |Dec percentsun = 51
|year percentsun = 61
|Jan humidity = 69.7
|Feb humidity = 69.2
|Mar humidity = 65.8
|Apr humidity = 64.1
|May humidity = 68.5
|Jun humidity = 71.2
|Jul humidity = 69.9
|Aug humidity = 70.8
|Sep humidity = 72.4
|Oct humidity = 68.0
|Nov humidity = 70.8
|Dec humidity = 72.3
|year humidity= 69.4
|source 1 = NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990){{cite web|url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=top|title=National Weather Service Climate|first=National Weather Service Corporate Image Web|last=Team|website=www.nws.noaa.gov|access-date=2020-08-07}}{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00013996.normals.txt |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014191932/ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00013996.normals.txt |archive-date=2020-10-14 |url-status=dead |title=Station Name: KS TOPEKA MUNI AP |access-date=2020-07-12}}{{cite web |url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72456.TXT |title = WMO Climate Normals for TOPEKA/MUNICIPAL ARPT KS 1961–1990 |access-date = 2014-03-11 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201014192008/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72456.TXT |archive-date = 2020-10-14 |url-status = dead |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}
}}
{{Weather box
|collapsed = Yes
|location = Wichita (Köppen Cfa)
|single line = Yes
|Jan high F = 43.9
|Feb high F = 48.9
|Mar high F = 59.1
|Apr high F = 68.3
|May high F = 77.5
|Jun high F = 87.9
|Jul high F = 92.6
|Aug high F = 91.0
|Sep high F = 83.3
|Oct high F = 70.8
|Nov high F = 57.0
|Dec high F = 45.8
|year high F= 68.8
|Jan mean F = 33.2
|Feb mean F = 37.6
|Mar mean F = 47.4
|Apr mean F = 56.5
|May mean F = 66.7
|Jun mean F = 76.9
|Jul mean F = 81.5
|Aug mean F = 79.9
|Sep mean F = 71.7
|Oct mean F = 59.0
|Nov mean F = 45.8
|Dec mean F = 35.6
|year mean F= 57.7
|Jan low F = 22.5
|Feb low F = 26.3
|Mar low F = 35.7
|Apr low F = 44.8
|May low F = 55.9
|Jun low F = 65.9
|Jul low F = 70.4
|Aug low F = 68.8
|Sep low F = 60.1
|Oct low F = 47.2
|Nov low F = 34.7
|Dec low F = 25.4
|year low F= 46.5
|Jan avg record high F = 65.8
|Feb avg record high F = 71.6
|Mar avg record high F = 79.9
|Apr avg record high F = 85.3
|May avg record high F = 92.0
|Jun avg record high F = 98.4
|Jul avg record high F =103.7
|Aug avg record high F =102.2
|Sep avg record high F = 97.3
|Oct avg record high F = 89.0
|Nov avg record high F = 75.5
|Dec avg record high F = 65.3
|year avg record high F=104.9
|Jan avg record low F = 5.1
|Feb avg record low F = 8.4
|Mar avg record low F = 17.1
|Apr avg record low F = 28.2
|May avg record low F = 40.5
|Jun avg record low F = 53.9
|Jul avg record low F = 61.4
|Aug avg record low F = 59.3
|Sep avg record low F = 44.6
|Oct avg record low F = 29.7
|Nov avg record low F = 17.9
|Dec avg record low F = 8.4
|year avg record low F= 1.0
|Jan record high F = 75
|Feb record high F = 87
|Mar record high F = 92
|Apr record high F = 98
|May record high F = 102
|Jun record high F = 110
|Jul record high F = 113
|Aug record high F = 114
|Sep record high F = 108
|Oct record high F = 97
|Nov record high F = 86
|Dec record high F = 83
|Jan record low F = −15
|Feb record low F = −22
|Mar record low F = −3
|Apr record low F = 15
|May record low F = 27
|Jun record low F = 43
|Jul record low F = 51
|Aug record low F = 45
|Sep record low F = 31
|Oct record low F = 14
|Nov record low F = 1
|Dec record low F = −16
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.85
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.20
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.30
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.10
|May precipitation inch = 5.17
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.93
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.98
|Aug precipitation inch = 4.30
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.05
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.85
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.36
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.22
|year precipitation inch=34.31
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.2
|Nov snow inch = 0.8
|Dec snow inch = 3.1
|Jan snow inch = 2.7
|Feb snow inch = 3.6
|Mar snow inch = 2.1
|Apr snow inch = 0.2
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|year snow inch=12.7
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 4.8
|Feb precipitation days = 5.3
|Mar precipitation days = 7.4
|Apr precipitation days = 8.3
|May precipitation days = 11.3
|Jun precipitation days = 9.5
|Jul precipitation days = 8.3
|Aug precipitation days = 8.2
|Sep precipitation days = 6.9
|Oct precipitation days = 6.6
|Nov precipitation days = 5.1
|Dec precipitation days = 5.4
|year precipitation days= 87.1
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.2
|Nov snow days = 0.6
|Dec snow days = 2.2
|Jan snow days = 2.7
|Feb snow days = 2.2
|Mar snow days = 1.0
|Apr snow days = 0.3
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|year snow days= 9.2
|Jan sun = 190.9 |Jan percentsun = 62
|Feb sun = 186.4 |Feb percentsun = 62
|Mar sun = 230.4 |Mar percentsun = 62
|Apr sun = 257.8 |Apr percentsun = 65
|May sun = 289.8 |May percentsun = 66
|Jun sun = 305.0 |Jun percentsun = 69
|Jul sun = 342.1 |Jul percentsun = 76
|Aug sun = 309.2 |Aug percentsun = 73
|Sep sun = 245.6 |Sep percentsun = 66
|Oct sun = 226.3 |Oct percentsun = 65
|Nov sun = 170.2 |Nov percentsun = 56
|Dec sun = 168.7 |Dec percentsun = 57
|year percentsun = 66
|Jan humidity = 69.9
|Feb humidity = 68.3
|Mar humidity = 63.8
|Apr humidity = 62.8
|May humidity = 67.0
|Jun humidity = 64.3
|Jul humidity = 58.9
|Aug humidity = 61.1
|Sep humidity = 66.8
|Oct humidity = 65.1
|Nov humidity = 70.0
|Dec humidity = 71.7
|year humidity =65.8
| Jan uv =2
| Feb uv =3
| Mar uv =5
| Apr uv =7
| May uv =9
| Jun uv =10
| Jul uv =10
| Aug uv =9
| Sep uv =7
| Oct uv =5
| Nov uv =3
| Dec uv =2
|source 1 = National Weather Service (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990);{{cite web | title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data | publisher = National Weather Service Forecast Office - Wichita, KS | url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ict | access-date = 2021-10-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00003928&format=pdf |title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020 |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = 2021-10-13}}{{cite web |url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72450.TXT |title = WMO Climate Normals for WICHITA/MID-CONTINENT ARPT KS 1961–1990 |access-date = March 11, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201031045637/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72450.TXT |archive-date = 2020-10-31 |url-status = dead |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}
}}
{{Weather box
|location = Dodge City (Köppen BSk/Cfa){{efn|1981–2010 normals. Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010. Extremes 1874-present.}}
|collapsed = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 80
|Feb record high F = 88
|Mar record high F = 98
|Apr record high F = 100
|May record high F = 106
|Jun record high F = 111
|Jul record high F = 109
|Aug record high F = 109
|Sep record high F = 107
|Oct record high F = 101
|Nov record high F = 91
|Dec record high F = 86
|Jan avg record high F = 68.2
|Feb avg record high F = 73.9
|Mar avg record high F = 81.7
|Apr avg record high F = 88.6
|May avg record high F = 94.0
|Jun avg record high F = 99.7
|Jul avg record high F =103.9
|Aug avg record high F =102.1
|Sep avg record high F = 97.6
|Oct avg record high F = 89.8
|Nov avg record high F = 77.2
|Dec avg record high F = 66.9
|year avg record high F=105.1
|Jan high F = 44.2
|Feb high F = 48.4
|Mar high F = 57.8
|Apr high F = 67.5
|May high F = 76.9
|Jun high F = 86.7
|Jul high F = 92.8
|Aug high F = 90.8
|Sep high F = 82.4
|Oct high F = 69.7
|Nov high F = 55.9
|Dec high F = 44.3
|year high F= 68.2
| Jan mean F = 32.3
| Feb mean F = 36.0
| Mar mean F = 44.5
| Apr mean F = 54.0
| May mean F = 64.3
| Jun mean F = 74.0
| Jul mean F = 79.7
| Aug mean F = 78.2
| Sep mean F = 69.3
| Oct mean F = 56.6
| Nov mean F = 43.2
| Dec mean F = 32.9
| year mean F = 55.4
|Jan low F = 20.1
|Feb low F = 23.4
|Mar low F = 31.0
|Apr low F = 40.2
|May low F = 51.5
|Jun low F = 61.0
|Jul low F = 66.3
|Aug low F = 65.3
|Sep low F = 56.0
|Oct low F = 43.4
|Nov low F = 30.3
|Dec low F = 21.2
|year low F= 42.6
|Jan avg record low F = 2.9
|Feb avg record low F = 4.7
|Mar avg record low F = 12.9
|Apr avg record low F = 24.7
|May avg record low F = 36.3
|Jun avg record low F = 49.0
|Jul avg record low F = 56.3
|Aug avg record low F = 54.9
|Sep avg record low F = 39.1
|Oct avg record low F = 26.9
|Nov avg record low F = 13.4
|Dec avg record low F = 3.6
|year avg record low F= −4.3
|Jan record low F = −20
|Feb record low F = −26
|Mar record low F = −15
|Apr record low F = 9
|May record low F = 19
|Jun record low F = 36
|Jul record low F = 46
|Aug record low F = 43
|Sep record low F = 29
|Oct record low F = 10
|Nov record low F = −13
|Dec record low F = −21
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.58
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.68
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.59
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.82
|May precipitation inch = 2.85
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.24
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.08
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.75
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.67
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.74
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.76
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.84
|year precipitation inch=21.60
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0.4
|Nov snow inch = 1.8
|Dec snow inch = 4.1
|Jan snow inch = 4.9
|Feb snow inch = 3.9
|Mar snow inch = 4.9
|Apr snow inch = 1.1
|May snow inch = 0
|Jun snow inch = 0
|year snow inch=21.1
|unit precipitation days=0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 3.5
|Feb precipitation days = 4.8
|Mar precipitation days = 6.5
|Apr precipitation days = 7.1
|May precipitation days = 8.9
|Jun precipitation days = 8.9
|Jul precipitation days = 8.2
|Aug precipitation days = 8.0
|Sep precipitation days = 5.7
|Oct precipitation days = 6.1
|Nov precipitation days = 4.5
|Dec precipitation days = 4.6
|year precipitation days=76.8
|unit snow days= 0.1 in
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0.2
|Nov snow days = 1.2
|Dec snow days = 3.2
|Jan snow days = 3.4
|Feb snow days = 2.8
|Mar snow days = 2.3
|Apr snow days = 0.6
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|year snow days=13.7
|Jan sun = 207.2 |Jan percentsun = 67
|Feb sun = 201.6 |Feb percentsun = 67
|Mar sun = 241.1 |Mar percentsun = 65
|Apr sun = 270.0 |Apr percentsun = 68
|May sun = 297.6 |May percentsun = 68
|Jun sun = 332.9 |Jun percentsun = 75
|Jul sun = 357.8 |Jul percentsun = 80
|Aug sun = 319.0 |Aug percentsun = 76
|Sep sun = 267.6 |Sep percentsun = 72
|Oct sun = 248.8 |Oct percentsun = 71
|Nov sun = 192.9 |Nov percentsun = 63
|Dec sun = 189.2 |Dec percentsun = 63
|year percentsun = 70
|Jan humidity = 65.9
|Feb humidity = 64.5
|Mar humidity = 60.5
|Apr humidity = 57.5
|May humidity = 62.5
|Jun humidity = 59.9
|Jul humidity = 55.2
|Aug humidity = 58.4
|Sep humidity = 61.9
|Oct humidity = 58.2
|Nov humidity = 64.3
|Dec humidity = 66.6
|year humidity =61.3
|source 1 = National Weather Service (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990){{cite web | title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data | publisher = National Weather Service Forecast Office |location=Dodge City, Kansas | url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ddc | access-date = August 8, 2020}}{{Cite FTP |url=ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00013985.normals.txt |server=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |url-status=dead |title=Station Name: KS DODGE CITY |access-date=March 26, 2014}}{{Cite FTP |url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72451.TXT |server = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title = WMO Climate Normals for DODGE CITY/MUNICIPAL, KS 1961–1990 |access-date = March 11, 2014 }}
}}