Editing Hays, Kansas (section)

== Geography ==
Hays is located in northwestern Kansas at the intersection of Interstate 70 and [[U.S. Route 183]], Hays is {{convert|134|mi|km}} northwest of [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], {{convert|256|mi|km}} west of [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], and {{convert|311|mi|km}} east-southeast of [[Denver]].<ref name=KDOT/><ref>{{cite web | title = City Distance Tool | publisher = [[Geobytes]] | url = http://www.geobytes.com/citydistancetool.htm | access-date = June 30, 2010 | archive-date = April 12, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100412193759/http://www.geobytes.com/citydistancetool.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref>

The city lies in the [[Smoky Hills]] region of the [[Great Plains]] approximately {{convert|11|mi|km|0}} north of the Smoky Hill River and {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} south of the [[Saline River (Kansas)|Saline River]].<ref name=KDOT>{{cite web | title = 2003-2004 Official Transportation Map | publisher = [[Kansas Department of Transportation]] | year = 2003 | url = https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf | access-date = September 19, 2014}}</ref><ref name="CountyMap">{{cite web | title = General Highway Map - Ellis County, Kansas | publisher = [[Kansas Department of Transportation]] | date = June 1, 2010 | url = https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/ellis.PDF | access-date = September 19, 2014}}</ref> [[Big Creek (Kansas)|Big Creek]], a tributary of the Smoky Hill River, runs through the southwestern part of the city. Chetolah Creek, a tributary of Big Creek, flows south through the eastern part of the city.<ref name=CountyMap/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|8.64|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/hayscitykansas |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 25, 2012 |access-date=Feb 6, 2025 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

===Climate===
Hays sits near the convergence of a [[humid continental climate]] (Köppen ''Dwa'') and a temperate [[semi-arid climate]] (Köppen ''BSk''). It typically experiences hot summers with variable humidity and cold winters. Due to its geographic location at a climatic boundary, severe weather is common, with [[tornado]]es a major threat, especially in the spring and early summer months.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Peel | first1 = M. C. | last2 = Finlayson | first2 = B. L. | last3 = McMahon | first3 = T. A. | date = March 1, 2007 | title = Updated Köppen-Geiger climate classification map | journal = Hydrology and Earth System Sciences | issue = 4 | pages = 439–473 |  publisher = Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions | doi = 10.5194/hessd-4-439-2007 | url = http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci-discuss.net/4/439/2007/hessd-4-439-2007.pdf | access-date = January 25, 2012| doi-access = free }}</ref> On average, January is the coldest month, and July is both the hottest and wettest month.<ref name=TWC>{{cite web | url  = http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USKS0255 | title = Average weather for Hays, KS | access-date = November 1, 2011 | publisher = [[The Weather Channel]]}}</ref> The hottest temperature recorded in Hays was {{convert|117|F|C|1}} on July 13, 1934, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-26|F|C|1}} on January 14, 1905, and February 13, 1905.<ref name = NOWData />

{{Weather box
|location = Hays, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1892–present
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 86
|Feb record high F = 91
|Mar record high F = 97
|Apr record high F = 107
|May record high F = 106
|Jun record high F = 114
|Jul record high F = 117
|Aug record high F = 115
|Sep record high F = 111
|Oct record high F = 101
|Nov record high F = 92
|Dec record high F = 83

|Jan avg record high F = 67.8
|Feb avg record high F = 72.7
|Mar avg record high F = 82.7
|Apr avg record high F = 89.1
|May avg record high F = 95.0
|Jun avg record high F = 101.8
|Jul avg record high F = 105.0
|Aug avg record high F = 102.9
|Sep avg record high F = 99.2
|Oct avg record high F = 91.5
|Nov avg record high F = 78.2
|Dec avg record high F = 66.6
|year avg record high F = 106.4

|Jan high F = 42.5
|Feb high F = 46.2
|Mar high F = 57.2
|Apr high F = 66.7
|May high F = 76.3
|Jun high F = 87.5
|Jul high F = 92.6
|Aug high F = 90.0
|Sep high F = 82.4
|Oct high F = 69.4
|Nov high F = 55.8
|Dec high F = 43.8
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 29.6
|Feb mean F = 32.9
|Mar mean F = 43.3
|Apr mean F = 53.2
|May mean F = 63.7
|Jun mean F = 74.6
|Jul mean F = 79.5
|Aug mean F = 77.2
|Sep mean F = 69.0
|Oct mean F = 55.3
|Nov mean F = 41.8
|Dec mean F = 31.4
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 16.7
|Feb low F = 19.6
|Mar low F = 29.4
|Apr low F = 39.7
|May low F = 51.0
|Jun low F = 61.7
|Jul low F = 66.4
|Aug low F = 64.3
|Sep low F = 55.6
|Oct low F = 41.2
|Nov low F = 27.9
|Dec low F = 19.0
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 0.0
|Feb avg record low F = 2.3
|Mar avg record low F = 10.8
|Apr avg record low F = 22.4
|May avg record low F = 34.4
|Jun avg record low F = 48.4
|Jul avg record low F = 54.9
|Aug avg record low F = 53.2
|Sep avg record low F = 38.6
|Oct avg record low F = 23.4
|Nov avg record low F = 11.2
|Dec avg record low F = 2.7
|year avg record low F = -5.0

|Jan record low F = -26
|Feb record low F = -26
|Mar record low F = -23
|Apr record low F = 5
|May record low F = 17
|Jun record low F = 31
|Jul record low F = 37
|Aug record low F = 36
|Sep record low F = 20
|Oct record low F = 9
|Nov record low F = -6
|Dec record low F = -21

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.56
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.81
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.32
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.13
|May precipitation inch = 3.60
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.03
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.95
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.47
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.13
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.68
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.90
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.86
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 3.3
|Feb precipitation days = 4.1
|Mar precipitation days = 5.3
|Apr precipitation days = 7.3
|May precipitation days = 9.3
|Jun precipitation days = 8.4
|Jul precipitation days = 8.7
|Aug precipitation days = 8.3
|Sep precipitation days = 6.1
|Oct precipitation days = 6.0
|Nov precipitation days = 4.1
|Dec precipitation days = 3.5

|Jan snow inch = 3.4
|Feb snow inch = 4.8
|Mar snow inch = 2.1
|Apr snow inch = 0.5
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 1.4
|Dec snow inch = 3.3
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 2.7
|Feb snow days = 2.7
|Mar snow days = 1.4
|Apr snow days = 0.6
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.3
|Nov snow days = 1.0
|Dec snow days = 2.3
|year snow days = 11.0

|Jan snow depth inch = 
|Feb snow depth inch = 
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|year snow depth inch =

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00143527&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Hays 1 S, KS
|access-date = November 21, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=ddc
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Dodge City
|access-date = November 21, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}