Editing Kansas (section)

===Climate===
[[File:Köppen Climate Types Kansas.png|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of Kansas, using 1991–2020 [[Climatological normal|climate normals]].]]
[[File:Kansas Windmills.JPG|thumb|Clouds in northeastern Kansas.]]
[[File:Kansas Summer Wheat and Storm Panorama.jpg|thumb|Kansas summer wheat and storm panorama.]]
In the [[Köppen climate classification]], Kansas has three climates: 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 [[USDA]] [[hardiness zone]]s for Kansas range from Zone 5b (−15&nbsp;°F to −10&nbsp;°F) in the North to Zone 7a (0&nbsp;°F to 5&nbsp;°F) in the South.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.plantmaps.com/en/us/f/hz/state/kansas/plant-hardiness-zones |title=Kansas Hardiness Zones Map - 2023 |publisher=Plantmaps |access-date=Jan 17, 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117215948/https://www.plantmaps.com/en/us/f/hz/state/kansas/plant-hardiness-zones |archive-date= Jan 17, 2024 }}</ref>

The western third of the state—from roughly the [[U.S. Route 83]] corridor westward—has a [[semi-arid climate|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 wind]]s 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, Kansas|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 [[U.S. Route 81|81]], as well as the southwestern portion of the state along and south of [[U.S. Route 50|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, Kansas|Hutchinson]], [[Salina, Kansas|Salina]], [[Russell, Kansas|Russell]], [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]], and [[Great Bend, Kansas|Great Bend]]. Temperatures are often higher in [[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]], [[Garden City, Kansas|Garden City]], and [[Liberal, Kansas|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|and|114|°F|°C}} in [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]], [[Lawrence, Kansas|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 [[tornado]]es, occasionally those of [[Enhanced Fujita scale|EF3]] strength or higher. Kansas averages more than 50 tornadoes annually.<ref name="Annual Average Number of Tornadoes">{{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 = dead |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}}</ref> 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, Kansas|Alton]] in [[Osborne County, Kansas|Osborne County]], and the all-time low is {{convert|-40|°F|°C}} on February 13, 1905, near [[Lebanon, Kansas|Lebanon]] in [[Smith County, Kansas|Smith County]]. Alton and Lebanon are approximately {{convert|50|mi|km}} apart.

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}}).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Kansas cities (°F)<ref>

{{multiref2|1={{cite web |url = http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/concordia.htm |title = Concordia Weather—Kansas—Average Temperatures and Rainfall |website = Country Studies US |access-date = April 9, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161103013842/http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/concordia.htm |archive-date = November 3, 2016}}|2={{cite web |url = http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/dodge-city.htm |title = Dodge City Weather—Kansas—Average Temperatures and Rainfall |website = Country Studies US |access-date = April 9, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011453/http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/dodge-city.htm |archive-date = March 5, 2016}}|3={{cite web |url = http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/goodland.htm |title = Goodland Weather—Kansas—Average Temperatures and Rainfall |website = Country Studies US |access-date = April 9, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202037/http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/goodland.htm |archive-date = March 4, 2016}}|4={{cite web |url = http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/topeka.htm |title = Topeka Weather—Kansas—Average Temperatures and Rainfall |website = Country Studies US |access-date = April 9, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305012221/http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/topeka.htm |archive-date = March 5, 2016}}|5={{cite web |url = http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/wichita.htm |title = Wichita Weather—Kansas—Average Temperatures and Rainfall |website = Country Studies US |access-date = April 9, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304221935/http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/kansas/wichita.htm |archive-date = March 4, 2016}}}}</ref>
|-
! City
! Jan
! Feb
! Mar
! Apr
! May
! Jun
! Jul
! Aug
! Sep
! Oct
! Nov
! Dec
|-
! Concordia
| 36/17
| 43/22
| 54/31
| 64/41
| 74/52
| 85/62
| 91/67
| 88/66
| 80/56
| 68/44
| 51/30
| 40/21
|-
! Dodge City
| 41/19
| 48/24
| 57/31
| 67/41
| 76/52
| 87/62
| 93/67
| 91/66
| 82/56
| 70/44
| 55/30
| 44/22
|-
! Goodland
| 39/16
| 45/20
| 53/26
| 63/35
| 72/46
| 84/56
| 89/61
| 87/60
| 78/50
| 66/38
| 50/25
| 41/18
|-
! Topeka
| 37/17
| 44/23
| 55/33
| 66/43
| 75/53
| 84/63
| 89/68
| 88/65
| 80/56
| 69/44
| 53/32
| 41/22
|-
! Wichita
| 40/20
| 47/25
| 57/34
| 67/44
| 76/54
| 87/64
| 93/69
| 92/68
| 82/59
| 70/47
| 55/34
| 43/24
|}