Kansas ยท season guide
Sledding season in Wichita
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Wichita weather station, about 9 miles from the middle of our Wichita hill list show December as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (3.1 inches). The normals are monthly averages, so they can't give a first-snow date. Some years come early, some late.
February is the snowiest month on average, at 3.6 inches.
Across a normal year the station records about 12.7 inches of snow. That puts Wichita at 98 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
Expect a short window. About 12 days a year have an inch or more of snow on the ground, so the morning after a storm counts.
For comparison, Kansas City, the nearest metro on our list, averages 18.2 inches, more than here.
All 7 hills we list here come from local sources rather than the park or city.
Month by month
| Month | Average snowfall | Days with 1 inch or more of new snow | Days with 1 inch or more on the ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 0.2 inches | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| November | 0.8 inches | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| December | 3.1 inches | 1.1 | 3.2 |
| January | 2.7 inches | 0.8 | 3.3 |
| February | 3.6 inches | 1.0 | 3.2 |
| March | 2.1 inches | 0.7 | 1.4 |
| April | 0.2 inches | 0.0 | 0.2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00003928. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Wichita mention lights on a sledding hill. Plan on daylight, and see our national lit hills list if you're travelling.
Local rules
We didn't find a city-wide sledding rule for Wichita in the sources we checked. Individual parks may post their own signs, and those win.
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Wichita?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Wichita station, December is the first month averaging an inch of snow or more. The normals are monthly averages, not a date.
How much snow does Wichita get in a year?
About 12.7 inches a year at the Wichita station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Wichita?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated