According to Abbreviation Finder, the state of Kansas (KS) is centrally located in the United States of America. It is the 34th state of the US (since 1861). The name comes from the word ‘kansa’, which in the Sioux language means ‘people of the south wind’. The Kansas River of the same name also flows through the state. According to some studies, Kansas is said to be the flattest state in the US, but there are other reports that question this because a different measurement method is used. In addition to many grasslands and forests, the predominantly flat Kansas also has a number of rock formations and hilly areas.
Three climate types
There are three climate types within Kansas. Most of Kansas has a warm continental climate, with the accompanying (very) warm summers, cooler winters and fickle in-between seasons. In the southwest, thanks to the lower amounts of precipitation (400-500 mm on an annual basis), there is a steppe climate. Locally there is a warm Mediterranean climate. Kansas has large differences in the annual amount of precipitation (four hundred to twelve hundred millimeters) and also in the amount of snow (10 centimeters to almost one meter per year). Kansas is known for its fierce thunderstorms, which can sometimes lead to the formation of a supercell. Such an extremely severe thunderstorm is the breeding ground for tornadoes, which are fairly common in Kansas.
Climate figures
The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).
| maximum temperature | minimum temperature | hours of sunshine per day | days of rainfall per month | |
| January | 3℃ | -8℃ | 6 | 6 |
| February | 7℃ | -5℃ | 6 | 6 |
| March | 13℃ | 1℃ | 7 | 9 |
| April | 19℃ | 6℃ | 8 | 10 |
| May | 24℃ | 12℃ | 9 | 12 |
| June | 29℃ | 17℃ | 10 | 10 |
| July | 32℃ | 20℃ | 11 | 9 |
| August | 31℃ | 19℃ | 10 | 9 |
| September | 27℃ | 13℃ | 8 | 8 |
| October | 21℃ | 7℃ | 7 | 7 |
| November | 12℃ | 0℃ | 5 | 7 |
| December | 5℃ | -6℃ | 5 | 6 |
The climate of Dodge City
According to Countryaah, Dodge City is a small city in southwestern Kansas in Ford County. The city is named after the former Fort Dodge, which was not far from here. The city was founded in the second half of the 19th century. During this period, the town was known as Queen of the Cow Towns. The city has had an influential role in the Wild West. This came to an end at the end of the 19th century. Today, the city lives mainly from agriculture and smaller industry. However, some remnants of the city’s wild period can still be found. The Long Branch Saloon is still standing and the Long Branch Variety Show is still performed here.
Dodge City has a warm continental climate, with high rainfall during the summer months. During the summer months the average temperature is very high and peaks above 40 degrees Celsius are no exception. This has a negative influence on the humidity figures. The winter months are cold and long periods of frost can occur. Dodge City is located in the Tornado Alley of the United States.
The climate of Garden City
Garden City is a small city in southwestern Kansas in Finney County. The city was founded at the end of the 19th century. Garden City has grown because the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway has a transfer station here. Today, the city mainly lives from agriculture. Mainly grain and wheat are produced here. This is also noticeable in the many wheat silos that can be found in the city.
Garden City has a warm steppe climate, with warm wet and sometimes very hot summer months and a cold winter period. The summer months also see the most precipitation. The mercury can rise well above 40 degrees Celsius on the hottest days of the year. Garden City is located in Tornado Alley, so be mindful of this during hurricane season.
The climate of Hays
Hays is a small town in the central part of the Kansas state of the United States. The city was founded in the mid-19th century as a stopping point on the Kansas Pacific Railway. The city was known to be very dangerous during this period. Legendary Wild West characters like Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok have lived in this town. Today Hays is what you would call a true college town. Fort Hays State University is located here and this university can accommodate 11,000 thousand students. The Sternberg Museum of Natural History is located on the university campus.
Hays has a warm continental climate, with high rainfall during the summer months. During the summer months the average temperature is very high and peaks above 40 degrees Celsius are no exception. This has a negative influence on the humidity figures. The winter months are cold and long periods of frost can occur. Hays is located in the Tornado Alley of the United States.
The climate of Kansas City
Kansas City is located in the east of the state of Kansas opposite the city of Kansas City in the state of Missouri. Kansas City is located on the Missouri. So-called gambling boats are allowed to sail on this river, a kind of floating casinos. The Kansas City Chiefs is the local American football team that plays in the NFL. The Kansas City Royals play in Major League Baseball. About 150,000 people live in the city. More than two million live in the metropolitan area, of which more than 250,000 are originally from Ireland. You will also find the Irish Museum and Cultural Center here. During Saint Patrick’s Day, the streets here will be colored green.
Kansas City has a warm continental climate, which is still slightly influenced by the warm maritime climate. Due to this influence, the winter months in particular are less cold here than in the more northerly places in the US. Summers are warm and hot and on the hottest summer days the mercury can get quite high. During this period, on average, the most precipitation falls.
The climate of Overland Park
Overland Park is located in northeastern Kansas in Johnson County. Overland Park is one of the largest cities in Kansas. The city is a suburb of Kansas City and belongs to the metropolitan area of this city (Kansas City metropolitan area). The city has made it into the top ten of the best places to live in America several times. It is a fairly young city, founded in the early 20th century. In the city is the Oak Park Mall, the largest shopping center in the state of Kansas and the neighboring state of Missouri.
Overland Park has a warm continental climate, with hot summer months and a harsh, cold winter. During the winter months it freezes regularly and night frosts occur daily. This part of the state of Kansas receives a lot of precipitation. Especially during the warm summer months, the average precipitation is on the high side. As a result, the average humidity is high during these months. Overland Park is located in Tornado Alley and during the tornado season you have to take this into account.
The climate of Salina
Salina is located in the central part of the US state of Kansas. Salina is located in Saline County. The city was founded by settlers in the mid-19th century. Today, the city is located in one of the largest wheat-producing regions in the world. The image of the city is therefore dominated by the many grain silos. In addition, the city mainly lives from industry. A number of large companies, such as Philips, have a factory here.
Salina has a warm continental climate, which is influenced by the warm maritime climate. Due to this influence, the average temperatures in the winter months are a lot higher than in the more northern places. During the coldest winter months there are sometimes long periods of frost. The summer months are characterized by high temperatures and high rainfall. As a result, the average humidity is on the high side during these months.
The climate of Topeka
Although it is only the fourth largest city in the state of Kansas in terms of population, Topeka is the capital of this central US state. It received that status as early as the year 1861, some seven years after the city was founded. Topeka has more than one hundred thousand inhabitants and has the grid structure that is so characteristic of the US, where the streets almost all form a pattern of straight streets that are perpendicular to each other. The low point in the history of Topeka is the F5 tornado that caused enormous havoc on June 8, 1966. With a damage of about 100 million dollars at the time, this tornado is one of the most destructive the US has ever known.
The warm continental climate (type Dfa according to the Köppen-Geiger climate system), the flat landscape and the isolation of the central part of the US from large bodies of water provide a good source of nutrition for the most destructive hurricanes. Topeka is centrally located in Tornado Alley, a large area where many tornadoes occur.
The climate of Wichita
Wichita is a large city in southern Kansas, in Sedgwick County. Wichita is located on the Arkansas River. The city was founded at the end of the 19th century and has grown into “Air Capital of the World” at the beginning of the 20th century. The city owes this nickname mainly to the many aircraft manufacturers that are located there. The first Pizza Hut was opened here in 1958.
Wichita has a warm continental climate, with a long warm and sometimes hot summer period and a short, cold winter. Long periods of frost can occur during the winter months, but this is usually limited to night frost. Summers are hot and wet, resulting in increased humidity. Wichita is located in Tornado Alley, so keep this in mind during tornado season.
