Located in the sub-basin of the Missouri River, Overland Park exists in the transition area between rolling green hills and the eastern edge of the Great Plains. Ice Age glaciers scoured the land and left silt deposits that have contributed to the rich agricultural history of Kansas. The meandering Missouri further softened the surface of one of the more geologically stable areas in the United States. Overland Park itself is perched on a bluff above Kansas City, protecting it from periodic floods.
Eastern Kansas experiences warm, slightly humid summers that can border on hot; winters can feel quite chilly thanks to the humidity level, but precipitation is relatively moderate. Spring ushers in a season of towering thunderstorms moving across the Plains, along with twisters that frequent the edge of Tornado Alley in which Overland Park resides.
Area: 56.85 square miles
Elevation: 1,000 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 29.0° F; July, 79.2° F; annual average, 56.75° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 40.17 inches of rain; 20 inches of snow