Fifty-Six, AR climate
Fifty-Six has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 27°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fifty-Six feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fifty-Six weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48° | 27° | 3.2" | 2.0" | 8 | 1 | 32° – 45° |
| February | 52° | 31° | 3.3" | 1.9" | 7 | 2 | 33° – 49° |
| March | 61° | 38° | 4.7" | 1.7" | 10 | 1 | 43° – 60° |
| April | 70° | 47° | 5.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| May | 77° | 55° | 5.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| June | 85° | 64° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| July | 89° | 68° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 73° – 84° |
| August | 89° | 66° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 83° |
| September | 82° | 59° | 3.6" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| October | 72° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| November | 59° | 38° | 4.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| December | 50° | 30° | 3.9" | 1.1" | 8 | 1 | 28° – 48° |
| Year | 70° | 47° | 48.7" | 6.7" | 95 | 5 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Fifty-Six
Fifty-Six gets 49 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 95 days a year.
About 196 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 14 and the first one by October 28. That leaves about 196 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 70% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fifty-Six
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fifty-Six, 78% of that work is heating and 22% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Fifty-Six compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Fifty-Six averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.7°). The shift is smaller than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fifty-Six’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 28° to 48°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Fifty-Six’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fifty-Six?
January, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 27°.
What is the hottest month in Fifty-Six?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 68°. About 45 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fifty-Six get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Fifty-Six?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 28, and the last spring frost by April 14.
What is the rainiest month in Fifty-Six?
May, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fifty-Six itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Calico Rock 2 Wsw, AR (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.