2025 Compare Climate & Weather:
Des Moines, IA vs Topeka, KS

Highlights

On average, there are 215 sunny days per year in Topeka. Des Moines averages 204 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Topeka, Kansas gets 37.7 inches of rain, on average, per year. Des Moines, Iowa gets 35.9 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38.1 inches of rain per year.

Topeka averages 15.6 inches of snow per year. Des Moines averages 32.9 inches of snow per year. The US average is 27.8 inches of snow per year.

Weather Highlights

Topeka, Kansas
Summer High: the July high is around 89 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 18.6
Rain: averages 37.7 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 15.6 inches of snow a year

Des Moines, Iowa
Summer High: the July high is around 85.6 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 12.5
Rain: averages 35.9 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 32.9 inches of snow a year

BestPlaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Topeka is 7.2 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in Kansas.

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Des Moines is 6.9 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in Iowa.

Today's Weather - Des Moines, IA

66°F

Today's Weather - Topeka, KS

72°F

Average Monthly High / Low (°F)

Hot, Freezing, Rainy, Snowy Days: Des Moines / Topeka

July is the hottest month for Des Moines with an average high temperature of 85.6°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in Iowa. In Des Moines, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Des Moines are September, June and May.

July is the hottest month for Topeka with an average high temperature of 89.0°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Kansas. In Topeka, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Topeka are September, May and June.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Des Moines with an average of 12.5°. This is warmer than most places in Iowa.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Topeka with an average of 18.6°. This is about average compared to other places in Kansas.

In Des Moines, there are 18.8 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Iowa.

In Topeka, there are 37.2 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Kansas.

In Des Moines, there are 135.1 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Iowa.

In Topeka, there are 116.4 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Kansas.

In Des Moines, there are 13.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in Iowa.

In Topeka, there are 4.2 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in Kansas.

June is the wettest month in Des Moines with 5.1 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 1.0 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 39% of yearly precipitation and 9% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 35.9 inches in Des Moines means that it is about average compared to other places in Iowa.


June is the wettest month in Topeka with 5.5 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 0.9 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 37% of yearly precipitation and 9% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 37.7 inches in Topeka means that it is wetter than most places in Kansas.

May is the rainiest month in Des Moines with 12.3 days of rain, and January is the driest month with only 6.8 rainy days. There are 107.6 rainy days annually in Des Moines, which is rainier than most places in Iowa. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.

May is the rainiest month in Topeka with 10.8 days of rain, and January is the driest month with only 4.7 rainy days. There are 90.0 rainy days annually in Topeka, which is rainier than most places in Kansas. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 31% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 17% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 32.9 inches in Des Moines means that it is snowier than most places in Iowa.

An annual snowfall of 15.6 inches in Topeka means that it is about average compared to other places in Kansas.

January is the snowiest month in Des Moines with 8.2 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.

December is the snowiest month in Topeka with 4.5 inches of snow, and 5 months of the year have significant snowfall.