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Kress, Texas water tower north of Plainview. (25023896841)Photo: USDA NRCS Texas · Public domain
Climate in Kress · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Less rain and snow falls on Kress than on 90% of U.S. towns: 20 inches a year

January nights here settle around 25°. Its July heat outdoes that of 88% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 1.2° higher. The outdoor season, with highs of 74–83°, runs through April, May, September and October.

Less snow than 67% of U.S. towns#600Least snow  of 615 in TX
Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns#617Mildest winters  of 633 in TX
All TX rankings →

A year in Kress at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan53°25°
Feb57°28°
Mar65°36°
Apr74°42° Last frost ~Apr 61 day 90°+
May82°53° 8 days 90°+
Jun90°63° 17 days 90°+Wettest
Jul92°66° 22 days 90°+
Aug91°65° 20 days 90°+
Sep83°57° 8 days 90°+
Oct74°46° 2 days 90°+
Nov now62°34° First frost ~Nov 2
Dec53°27°

What stands out about Kress’ climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Kress’ place in Texas beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Kress feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
54° / 27°
3 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
74° / 44°
Last frost around Apr 6
Summer
91° / 64°
77 days reach 90°
Fall
73° / 46°
First frost around Nov 2
Best months to be outsideAprMaySepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 209 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 6 and the first by November 2. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Plainview, TX, 12 miles from the town’s center, 100 ft lower.

92
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
608th fewest of 631 in Texas
Fewer freezing nights than 65% of U.S. towns
<1
nights at or below 0°
611th fewest of 631 in Texas
Fewer nights at or below 0° than 66% of U.S. towns
77
days that reach 90°
588th most of 631 in Texas
More 90° days than 85% of U.S. towns
9
days that reach 100°
480th most of 631 in Texas
More 100° days than 90% of U.S. towns
7aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 7a

The 2023 USDA map puts Kress’ center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 5°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

25
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

22
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 8 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Plainview, TX, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 20 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 62 days a year.

20"
Rain + melted snow a year
57th driest of 633 in Texas
Drier than 90% of U.S. towns
8.2"
Snow in a normal winter
600th least snowy of 615 in Texas
Less snow than 67% of U.S. towns
5 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
598th fewest of 610 in Texas
Fewer days with snow on the ground than 64% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

3.0"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

2"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Kress

68% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.

3,640 heating degree daysLess heating than 73% of U.S. towns
1,723 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 79% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Plainview, TX.

Living here

Living with Kress’ climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

209 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by Apr 6 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 2.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, September and October.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Kress from natural hazards, hail is the largest share (30%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 5%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Kress and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Kress yet.

Climates most like Kress’, farther away

TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Kress, TX25°92°20"8.2"
Yreka, CA29°91°20"12"
Prescott, AZ26°90°15"10"
Liberal, KS21°94°20"14"
Milton-Freewater, OR30°90°17"7.2"

Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Kress averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°).

+1.2°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.7°now 40°, was 39°
Spring+1.4°now 59°, was 57°
Summer+0.8°now 78°, was 77°
Fall+0.7°now 59°, was 59°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Kress compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Kress’ place among Texas’.

Summer heat92° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 88% of U.S. towns576th hottest of 633 in Texas
Winter cold25° January low
Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns617th mildest of 633 in Texas
Precipitation20" a year
Drier than 90% of U.S. towns57th driest of 633 in Texas
Snow8.2" a winter
Less snow than 67% of U.S. towns600th least snowy of 615 in Texas
Hot days77 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 85% of U.S. towns588th most of 631 in Texas
Freezing nights92 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 65% of U.S. towns608th fewest of 631 in Texas
Growing season209 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 74% of U.S. towns530th longest of 553 in Texas
Month by month

Kress weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Kress’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Plainview, TX. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January53°25°0.6"2.1"3233° – 45°
February57°28°0.6"1.5"4136° – 49°
March65°36°1.2"0.8"5146° – 56°
April74°42°1.4"0.1"5052° – 64°
May82°53°2.6"0.0"7063° – 74°
June90°63°3.0"0.0"8071° – 83°
July92°66°2.4"0.0"6076° – 85°
August91°65°2.3"0.0"7074° – 85°
September83°57°2.2"0.0"6066° – 76°
October74°46°1.7"0.1"5054° – 64°
November62°34°0.8"1.2"4142° – 54°
December53°27°0.8"2.4"4134° – 44°
Year73°45°19.7"8.2"625
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 49°. July is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Kress’ numbers come from

Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →

  • Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Kress’ center.
  • Snow: Plainview, TX.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Plainview, TX, 12 miles from the town’s center, 100 ft lower; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
  • Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  • Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
  • Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).

Common questions about Kress’ climate

What is the weather like in Kress?

A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 8 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 88% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Kress in winter?

January nights average 25°. About 92 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 33°.

How much snow does Kress get?

About 8.2 inches in a normal winter at Plainview, TX, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 5 days a year.

How hot does it get in Kress?

July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 66°. About 77 days a year reach 90° and 9 reach 100° (Plainview, TX).

When is the first and last frost in Kress?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 6 and the first fall frost by November 2, about 209 frost-free days, at Plainview, TX.

What growing zone is Kress in?

Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 5°.

What is the best time of year to visit Kress?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Kress getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 65% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Kress.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.