Thornton, AR climate
Thornton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Thornton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Thornton 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 | 53° | 33° | 4.6" | 0.6" | 11 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| February | 58° | 36° | 4.7" | 0.5" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 54° |
| March | 66° | 42° | 5.6" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 63° |
| April | 74° | 50° | 6.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| May | 82° | 59° | 5.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| June | 89° | 67° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 75° – 83° |
| July | 92° | 71° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 76° – 85° |
| August | 91° | 70° | 4.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 76° – 85° |
| September | 86° | 63° | 3.6" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 71° – 81° |
| October | 75° | 51° | 4.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| November | 64° | 41° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| December | 55° | 35° | 5.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 35° – 52° |
| Year | 74° | 51° | 56.3" | 1.2" | 107 | 0 |
“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 Thornton
Thornton gets 56 inches of rain and melted snow a year. April is the wettest month and September the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 107 days a year.
About 226 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 26 and the first one by November 6. That leaves about 226 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 84% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Thornton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Thornton, 62% of that work is heating and 38% 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 Thornton compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
About as warm as it used to be
The last 30 years in Thornton averaged 0.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+0.8°). The shift is smaller than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Thornton’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 35° to 52°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Thornton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Thornton?
January, with a typical high of 53° and a low of 33°.
What is the hottest month in Thornton?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 71°. About 65 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Thornton get?
About 1 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Thornton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 6, and the last spring frost by March 26.
What is the rainiest month in Thornton?
April, with 6.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 56 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Thornton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Fordyce, AR (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.