Kansas always has a few tricks up its sleeves when it comes to the weather. This natural phenomenon doesn't happen all the time, but if you catch it by chance, it's a beautiful sight.
Imagine it's a snowy winter's morning with nothing out of the ordinary for a Kansas day. Suddenly, you see something that you may have never seen before.
Have you ever seen something like this before? It's most common in large open snow fields with lots of wind, and a little bit of a slope helps as well.
For these to happen, all these conditions must happen. First, you'll need a field full of undisturbed snow with a thin layer of wet snow on top, with ice or powdery snow underneath. Then, the wind does all the work, blowing bits of snow along to collect more layers, just like making a snowman.
Sometimes they happen when snow drops off of a tree or building and rolls down a hill, but we all know how hard it is to find a good hill. Isn't this cool? It's like nature's little snowmen.
Though we did go through a few cold spells last winter, overall, the Sunflower State saw warmer-than-average temperatures and less snowfall than usual. However, according to the Farmers' Almanac predictions, that's not going to be the case this winter. The Farmers' Almanac has been releasing annual weather predictions for over 200 years, and according to the recently released 2024-2025 winter predictions for Kansas, we can expect to see cold and snowy conditions for western Kansas into Colorado and mild and dry conditions for the eastern half of the Sunflower State.
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While the Farmer's Almanac predictions may not be as long-awaited as they were before satellites and computers, many still respect this historic institution. The formula is a closely guarded secret, and the Almanac bases its predictions on various 'secret factors', including astronomy, sunspots, and lunar tides. Of course, it's worth mentioning that it's nearly impossible to forecast an entire season ahead of time; this is just for fun, and you never know - it might be true!
I suspect a reprieve from the bitter cold and snow from previous years would be much welcomed this year. Kansas is beautiful year-round, but winter is especially magical - and according to Farmer's Almanac, this year might just be the perfect year to come check it out. If you already live here, well, that's a plus - it makes exploration that much easier, after all. Kansas winter weather can certainly be expected to get chilly - even frigid - sometimes, but in some winters, we end up being spared from the brutal cold. Perhaps this will be one of those years. We can hope!
It's thought that winter this year should come and go on time, which is nice, considering that during some seasons, the chill lingers long into what should be spring. Nevertheless, there are plenty of amazing things to do in Kansas in the winter, including hikes, camping (yes, you read that right!), and other fun ideas. Personally, I can't get enough of the outdoors, no matter what time of year it is. Each season brings with it new reasons to visit Kansas, and I promise it's worth your time if you don't live here. Kansas simply never gets the credit it deserves for its beauty.
On top of the natural wonders, there's always something going on in Kansas in the winter. Take your pick from a number of wonderful small-town festivals, holiday lights displays, townwide traditions, and more - winter in Kansas is a splendid time, especially if you know where to look at every turn. Kansas winter activities are totally a thing - come and see for yourself!
Check out the full Farmer's Almanac 2024-2025 winter predictions for Kansas on the Farmer's Almanac website. Do you eagerly await the Almanac's predictions for Kansas each year, or do you take it with a grain of salt? Share your opinions in the comments! No matter what, whether this winter is bitterly cold after all or comes with warmer-than-average temperatures, you will want to be prepared if you travel in the snow. Make sure to check out our Ultimate Winter Packing List to keep yourself safe and happy on your trips!
Fall in Kansas is such a wonderfully special time. The menus are full of pumpkin spice everything, it seems like there's a great fall festival being held just about every weekend, and the crisp autumn air feels so much more comfortable than the humid days of summer.
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As soon as the season starts to change, many of us start to wonder "When do leaves change color in Kansas?" Those of you with foliage on the brain will be glad to know that we have a Kansas fall foliage map 2024 from Smoky Mountains that makes timing your leaf peeping just a little bit easier. If you're planning a fall foliage road trip in Kansas, you'll definitely want to check out this interactive map.
Of course, the one predictable thing about Kansas weather is that it's unpredictable. There's no sure answer to "When do leaves change in Kansas?" but even so, this fall foliage predictor uses past history and weather to try to give a good estimate.
More specifically, SmokyMountains.com utilizes a refined data model that depends on a combination of factors, including historical temperature and precipitation, forecast temperature and precipitation, the type of tree known to be prominent in that geographic region, the historical trends in that area, and user data. It's not an exact science, but this method yields a rather impressive track record in terms of accurately predicting when the leaves will change across the US!
Kansas's northern half tends to be at peak colors about a week or so before the southern half, so keep that in mind if you're planning a trip. And take note: by the beginning of November, nearly all of autumn's beautiful hues will be gone.
Where's your favorite spot for catching fall foliage in Kansas? Share your leaf-peeping places in the comments!
Check out the full Kansas fall foliage map 2024 at the Smoky Mountains website.
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I absolutely love lacing up my hiking boots and hitting the trails when fall hits. There's nothing better than enjoying the brilliant scenery and cool weather. If you are also a fan of fall hiking in Kansas, consider signing up for a free trial of Alltrails+. You'll get to enjoy benefits like downloadable trail maps and more.
