Fort Smith, AR climate
Fort Smith has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fort Smith feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fort Smith 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 | 51° | 29° | 3.1" | 1.4" | 8 | 1 | 36° – 47° |
| February | 56° | 33° | 2.9" | 0.6" | 8 | 0 | 37° – 53° |
| March | 64° | 41° | 4.3" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 45° – 63° |
| April | 73° | 49° | 5.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| May | 81° | 58° | 6.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| June | 88° | 67° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 73° – 83° |
| July | 93° | 70° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 76° – 89° |
| August | 93° | 69° | 4.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 75° – 86° |
| September | 85° | 62° | 4.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 70° – 81° |
| October | 75° | 50° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| November | 62° | 40° | 4.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| December | 53° | 32° | 3.8" | 0.6" | 8 | 0 | 31° – 49° |
| Year | 73° | 50° | 51.0" | 2.9" | 99 | 1 |
“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 Fort Smith
Fort Smith gets 51 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 99 days a year.
About 224 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 25 and the first one by November 6. That leaves about 224 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 84% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fort Smith
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fort Smith, 59% of that work is heating and 41% 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.
Fort Smith and its neighbors
Fort Smith borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Van Buren has the coldest January nights (29°) and Barling the hottest July afternoons (93°). Fort Smith’s January low is 29° and its July high 93°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.6°). The shift is smaller than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fort Smith’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 31° to 49°. May is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Fort Smith’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fort Smith?
January, with a typical high of 51° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Fort Smith?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 70°. About 78 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fort Smith get?
About 3 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Fort Smith?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 6, and the last spring frost by March 25.
What is the rainiest month in Fort Smith?
May, with 6.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 51 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fort Smith itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ft Smith Rgnl Airport, AR (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.