Kansas Climate
Top 5 Cities: Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City, Topeka, and Olathe
This month in numbers
Kansas experienced its warmest February-April on record, with an average temperature of 11.17°C, an anomaly of +4.8°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This also marks the 1st warmest February-April for maximum temperatures, at 19.63°C, an anomaly of +6.2°C. April 2026 alone was the 3rd warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 15.33°C, which is +3°C above the baseline. Maximum temperatures for April were also the 3rd highest on record, reaching 23.22°C, an anomaly of +3.6°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, and the February-April period was also the 2nd warmest on record for global land temperatures.
What changed
Kansas's exceptionally warm February-April period stands out even within a generally warm national picture. While the entire US experienced above-average temperatures in April, Kansas's 3-month anomaly of +4.8°C was the 2nd highest among all 234 regions tracked, with 9 of the top 10 warmest regions being US states. This indicates a striking concentration of warmth across the central and western US. Precipitation for the February-April period was below average at 32.76 mm, an anomaly of -11.2 mm, ranking 60th of 77 years on record.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Kansas is likely influenced by a combination of factors. The region has been experiencing significant drought conditions, with approximately 64% of Kansas under active drought as of May 12, 2026, and extreme (D3) drought expanding in southwestern Kansas. can contribute to higher temperatures as the lack of moisture in the soil reduces evaporative cooling. Additionally, a transition from a La Niña to a neutral or even El Niño phase, as observed in early 2026, often leads to an active central US weather pattern with frequent oscillations between warm and cold air, but with a general trend towards warmer conditions.
Kansas has also seen a notable cluster of extreme weather events recently. There have been three wildfire events between May 14 and May 21, 2026, which represents 100% of the annual total for wildfires in the past 12 months, an unusual concentration. These fires, which burned over 100,000 acres in Meade and Clark counties, were sparked by dry lightning and fueled by extremely dry conditions and high winds. Furthermore, two drought events have been logged in the past 12 months, both occurring between August 2025 and May 2026, also representing 100% of the annual total. There has also been one flood event between May 19 and May 22, 2026, which is 100% of the annual total. For more details on these and other active events, visit Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
Long-range forecasts suggest that temperatures are likely to continue to average above normal over the next three months (May–July), with long-term drought in western Kansas expected to persist through summer.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Kansas
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Kansas changing?
Kansas is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Kansas come from?
Climate data for Kansas comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Kansas climate data cover?
The Kansas climate profile covers Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City, Topeka and surrounding areas. Kansas climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Kansas climate update refreshed?
The Kansas climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.