St. Louis, Missouri is known for its hot and muggy summers, cold and snowy winters, and partly cloudy skies all year round. The temperature in St. Louis typically ranges from 25°F to 89°F, with temperatures rarely dropping below 9°F or rising above 97°F.
On average, St. Louis receives 42 inches of rain per year, which is slightly higher than the national average of 38 inches of rainfall per year. Louis also gets an average of 16 inches of snow per year, which is lower than the national average of 28 inches of snow per year. The city experiences an average of 202 sunny days per year, which is slightly lower than the national average of 205 days of sunshine.
Louis receives some form of precipitation on average 105 days a year. Precipitation includes rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index in St. Louis is 7.2 (10% 3Dbest), which means it's more comfortable than most places in Missouri.
Climate is the behavior of the atmosphere and its effects on human life and activities. Most people think of climate in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind and atmospheric pressure. Louis is located in an area known as “Tornado Alley” which includes the Great Plains, Midwest and parts of the South. Although most tornadoes occur in spring, severe weather conditions can occur during any season of the year.
While there is a risk of tornadoes in St. Louis, they are rare and tend to cause localized damage so they should not be a reason to postpone your visit. The summers in St. Louis are hot and sticky with temperatures reaching 100°F (38°C) on several days each year in July and August.
June and July are usually quite humid months with an average of 4.60 and 4.48 inches of rain respectively but there are plenty of sunny days that are perfect for visiting the Saint Louis Zoo or attending a Cardinals baseball game. During winter visits to St. Louis you can expect cold and gloomy days with an average of 16 inches of snow per year although this varies from year to year. Most winter rainfall occurs between December and March and snowstorms and freezing rain can stop traffic.
Despite storms and varying temperatures, daffodils, dogwood trees and other plants flourish during these months making it a favorite season for many residents of St. Louis.
