Little Rock, OK climate
Little Rock has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 27°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Little Rock feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
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 | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48° | 27° | 2.3" | 1.7" | 6 | 1 | 33° – 48° |
| February | 53° | 31° | 2.3" | 0.8" | 6 | 1 | 34° – 50° |
| March | 62° | 39° | 3.7" | 1.8" | 8 | 0 | 44° – 60° |
| April | 71° | 48° | 4.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 66° |
| May | 78° | 57° | 6.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 86° | 66° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 82° |
| July | 91° | 70° | 3.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 76° – 88° |
| August | 91° | 69° | 3.6" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 73° – 86° |
| September | 83° | 61° | 4.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| October | 72° | 49° | 4.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| November | 60° | 39° | 3.7" | 0.3" | 7 | 0 | 42° – 57° |
| December | 50° | 30° | 2.7" | 0.9" | 6 | 1 | 28° – 46° |
| Year | 70° | 49° | 46.4" | 5.5" | 89 | 4 |
“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 Little Rock
Little Rock gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 89 days a year.
About 209 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 7 and the first one by November 2. That leaves about 209 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 78% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Little Rock
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Little Rock, 67% of that work is heating and 33% 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.
Little Rock and its neighbors
Little Rock borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Rose has the coldest January nights (27°) and Snake Creek the hottest July afternoons (91°). Little Rock’s January low is 27° and its July high 91°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Little Rock 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 Little Rock averaged 0.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+1.3°). The shift is smaller than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Little Rock’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 46°. May is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Little Rock’s climate
What is the coldest month in Little Rock?
January, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 27°.
What is the hottest month in Little Rock?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 70°. About 58 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Little Rock get?
About 6 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Little Rock?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 2, and the last spring frost by April 7.
What is the rainiest month in Little Rock?
May, with 6.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
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 Spavinaw, OK (12 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.