Missouri Climate
Top 5 Cities: Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, and Independence
This month in numbers
Missouri experienced its warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 16.67°C, an anomaly of +3.8°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This marks the 1st warmest April in 77 years of records. The maximum temperature for April also ranked as the 3rd highest on record, reaching 23.11°C, an anomaly of +3.7°C. Looking at the broader seasonal picture, the February–April 2026 period was the 2nd warmest on record for average temperature, at 11.11°C, an anomaly of +4.4°C. The maximum temperature for this three-month period was the warmest on record, at 18.22°C, an anomaly of +5.4°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperature, with an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
Missouri's exceptionally warm April and the February–April period stand out, with the state ranking 9th warmest globally for the three-month anomaly. This striking concentration sees nine of the top ten warmest regions globally for this period being US states. The state's average temperature for the latest full year (2025) was 13.6°C, making it the 10th warmest year on record, continuing a long-term warming trend of +1.19°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline.
What’s driving change?
The unusually high temperatures in March and April have led to an earlier and more active severe weather season in Missouri. The region has experienced a significant number of severe weather events, including multiple rounds of supercell thunderstorms, large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes throughout April and into May. Missouri has already seen 41 tornadoes in 2026, surpassing its annual average of 40. This active period also included a historic storm system in mid-May that brought record-breaking rainfall and widespread flooding to Grundy County, with nearly nine inches of rain falling in a five-hour window. Additionally, there have been three wildfire events and two drought events in the past month, representing 100% of the annual total for both types of events, an unusual concentration for the region and season. More details can be found on the live tracker at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
The seasonal outlook for May to July suggests a slight favourability towards above-normal temperatures, with equal chances for precipitation.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Missouri
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 Missouri changing?
Missouri 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 Missouri come from?
Climate data for Missouri 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 Missouri climate data cover?
The Missouri climate profile covers Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia and surrounding areas. Missouri climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Missouri climate update refreshed?
The Missouri 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.