Little Rock has cold winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to -3°.
A year in Little Rock at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Little Rock’s climate
Read from where Little Rock sits among Minnesota’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 142 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first by October 4.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Rain and snow in Little Rock
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
No snow records from a nearby station.
What a year in Little Rock feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Little Rock averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.8°).
A bigger shift than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
Living with Little Rock’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
142 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 12 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 4.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 97% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 4 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 79°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 1.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →How Little Rock compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Minnesota.
Little Rock weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17° | -3° | 0.6" | -5° – 23° |
| February | 23° | 0° | 0.6" | 0° – 29° |
| March | 36° | 15° | 0.8" | 15° – 37° |
| April | 51° | 28° | 1.5" | 31° – 48° |
| May | 65° | 41° | 2.9" | 47° – 59° |
| June | 74° | 52° | 4.0" | 58° – 69° |
| July | 79° | 57° | 3.4" | 60° – 73° |
| August | 77° | 54° | 3.1" | 58° – 69° |
| September | 68° | 46° | 2.8" | 50° – 63° |
| October | 53° | 34° | 2.4" | 35° – 49° |
| November | 35° | 19° | 1.0" | 17° – 40° |
| December | 22° | 5° | 0.7" | -1° – 23° |
| Year | 50° | 29° | 23.8" |
Heating and cooling a home in Little Rock
97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 0° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Little Rock’s climate
What is the coldest month in Little Rock?
January, with a typical high of 17° and a low of -3°.
What is the hottest month in Little Rock?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 57°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Little Rock?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 12.
What is the rainiest month in Little Rock?
June, with 4.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Little Rock.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Little Rock itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Red Lake Indian Agcy, MN (4 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.