If you’ve lived around Johnson County for more than a week, you know the drill. One day you’re scraping a quarter-inch of ice off your windshield at the Powell Community Center, and by Tuesday, you’re seriously considering a light windbreaker for a walk through Broadmoor Park. Honestly, the weather in Mission Kansas is less of a predictable cycle and more of a chaotic improv set.
Right now, we are deep in the January freeze. As of early this morning, January 18, 2026, the temperature in Mission is sitting at a crisp 11°F. But here’s the kicker: with a 7 mph wind coming out of the southwest, the "feels like" temperature has bottomed out at 0°F. If you’re heading out for coffee at Rockcreek Brewing or grabbing breakfast, that air is going to bite.
The January Whiplash is Real
People think Kansas winters are just gray and snowy for three months straight. I wish. It’d be easier to plan for. In reality, Mission is currently looking at a high of 38°F for today, which sounds almost balmy until you remember it was 17°F yesterday. We’re oscillating.
Tomorrow, Monday, January 19, is expected to dip back down to a high of 23°F. You’ve basically got to keep your heavy parka and your medium denim jacket in the front seat of the car because the sky can't make up its mind. Humidity is hovering around 61% right now, making that 11-degree air feel a lot "wetter" and heavier than a dry mountain cold.
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What to Expect This Week
If you're looking at the seven-day stretch, we’re actually climbing out of the basement for a minute.
- Tuesday: We might hit 42°F. It’ll feel like a heatwave.
- Wednesday: Back to 40°F with clear skies.
- Next Weekend: Things get dicey again. By Saturday, January 24, we’re looking at a 25% chance of snow showers and a high of only 19°F.
Why the Weather in Mission Kansas Acts So Weird
Mission sits in a geographic sweet spot—or a sour one, depending on how much you hate wind. We get the "clipper" storms that dive down from the Great Lakes, bringing that sudden, dry cold. But we also get moisture sucked up from the Gulf, which is why June is statistically our wettest month, averaging nearly 5 inches of rain.
January is actually our driest month. We usually only see about half an inch of actual liquid rain, though the snowfall averages around 3.2 inches. It’s a "dusty" kind of cold. The real moisture doesn't start waking up until late March, which is when the "wetter season" officially kicks off.
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Surviving the Humidity Shift
Mission hits its peak relative humidity in January, often reaching 84%. That’s a stat that surprises people. We think of humidity as a July problem—the "sticky" heat. But in the winter, high humidity plus low temps equals that bone-chilling dampness that no amount of wool socks seems to fix. By July, the humidity actually drops to its lowest annual point, around 65%, though it feels worse because the mercury is pushing 90°F.
Mission Weather vs. The Neighbors
Sometimes there’s a weird microclimate thing happening. Because Mission is more tucked in compared to the wide-open spaces of Olathe or Western Shawnee, we sometimes dodge the harshest wind gusts. While Olathe Executive Airport might report 23 mph gusts, we're often seeing a slightly more shielded 10-15 mph. It’s a small mercy, but when it’s 12 degrees out, you’ll take it.
Pro-Tips for the Mission Climate
Basically, don't trust a sunny morning. A clear sky in a Mission winter usually means there’s no cloud cover to trap the heat, leading to those brutal 9°F nights we saw yesterday.
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Southwest Wind: If the wind is from the South/Southwest today, enjoy the 38°F high, but prep for the shift back to Northwest tomorrow—that's the cold front trigger.
- Watch the Saturday Snow: The 25% chance of snow on January 24 isn't huge, but with a low of 7°F, anything that falls will stick and turn to ice instantly.
- Plan Indoor Backups: If you’re looking for things to do, the Matt Ross Community Center in nearby Overland Park or the Sylvester Powell Jr. Center right here in Mission are your best bets for escaping the 0°F wind chill.
Stay warm out there. The 40-degree temps on Tuesday are coming, just hang on.