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C. E. Foster HouseC. E. Foster House · Photo: Valis55 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Climate in Acorn · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Precipitation in Acorn tops that of 95% of U.S. towns: 57 inches a year

The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 29° on average. The wettest month is May; the driest is January. In July, afternoons here are warmer than in 79% of U.S. towns. The outdoor season, with highs of 71–84°, runs through April, May, September and October.

Less snow than 71% of U.S. towns#95Least snow  of 125 in AR
Milder January nights than 71% of U.S. towns#82Mildest winters  of 127 in AR
All AR rankings →

A year in Acorn at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan50°29°
Feb55°32°
Mar63°39°
Apr71°47° Last frost ~Apr 5
May78°56° Wettest
Jun86°64° 6 days 90°+
Jul90°68° 17 days 90°+
Aug90°67° 17 days 90°+
Sep84°60° 6 days 90°+
Oct73°48°
Nov now61°39° First frost ~Nov 1
Dec52°31°

What stands out about Acorn’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Acorn’s place in Arkansas beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Acorn feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
52° / 31°
1 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
71° / 48°
Last frost around Apr 5
Summer
89° / 66°
46 days reach 90°
Fall
72° / 49°
First frost around Nov 1
Best months to be outsideAprMaySepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 208 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 5 and the first by November 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Mena, AR, 6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

80
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
95th fewest of 127 in Arkansas
Fewer freezing nights than 69% of U.S. towns
<1
nights at or below 0°
81st fewest of 127 in Arkansas
Fewer nights at or below 0° than 69% of U.S. towns
46
days that reach 90°
103rd most of 127 in Arkansas
More 90° days than 73% of U.S. towns
3
days that reach 100°
79th most of 127 in Arkansas
More 100° days than 84% of U.S. towns
8aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 8a

The 2023 USDA map puts Acorn’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 10°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

22
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

17
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 4 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Mena, AR, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 57 inches a year; May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 117 days a year.

57"
Rain + melted snow a year
2nd wettest of 127 in Arkansas
Wetter than 95% of U.S. towns
4.0"
Snow in a normal winter
95th least snowy of 125 in Arkansas
Less snow than 71% of U.S. towns
1 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
35th fewest of 121 in Arkansas
Fewer days with snow on the ground than 71% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

6.6"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

2"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Acorn

70% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.

3,644 heating degree daysLess heating than 73% of U.S. towns
1,534 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 74% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Mena, AR.

Living here

Living with Acorn’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

208 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Apr 5 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 1.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, September and October.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Acorn from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (56%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 14%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Acorn and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Acorn yet.

Climates most like Acorn’s, farther away

TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Acorn, AR29°90°57"4.0"
Humboldt, TN29°90°55"4.4"
Holly Springs, MS31°90°58"2.3"
Huntsville, AL31°90°56"2.4"
Winterville, NC33°90°53"3.3"

Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Acorn averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.4°).

+0.6°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 96% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.2°now 42°, was 40°
Spring+0.4°now 59°, was 59°
Summer+0.5°now 77°, was 77°
Fall+0.4°now 61°, was 60°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Acorn compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Acorn’s place among Arkansas’.

Summer heat90° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns85th hottest of 127 in Arkansas
Winter cold29° January low
Milder January nights than 71% of U.S. towns82nd mildest of 127 in Arkansas
Precipitation57" a year
Wetter than 95% of U.S. towns2nd wettest of 127 in Arkansas
Snow4.0" a winter
Less snow than 71% of U.S. towns95th least snowy of 125 in Arkansas
Hot days46 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 73% of U.S. towns103rd most of 127 in Arkansas
Freezing nights80 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 69% of U.S. towns95th fewest of 127 in Arkansas
Growing season208 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 73% of U.S. towns105th longest of 127 in Arkansas
Month by month

Acorn weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Acorn’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Mena, AR. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January50°29°3.8"0.8"10035° – 46°
February55°32°3.8"1.8"10136° – 52°
March63°39°5.1"0.8"11045° – 60°
April71°47°5.6"0.0"10054° – 65°
May78°56°6.6"0.0"11064° – 73°
June86°64°4.7"0.0"10071° – 80°
July90°68°4.1"0.0"10074° – 84°
August90°67°4.1"0.0"8072° – 84°
September84°60°4.4"0.0"8068° – 79°
October73°48°4.7"0.0"9055° – 67°
November61°39°5.0"0.0"10043° – 56°
December52°31°4.8"0.6"10032° – 48°
Year71°48°56.6"4.0"1171
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 52°. May is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Acorn’s numbers come from

Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →

  • Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Acorn’s center.
  • Snow: Mena, AR.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Mena, AR, 6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
  • Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  • Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
  • Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).

Common questions about Acorn’s climate

What is the weather like in Acorn?

A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 71% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Acorn in winter?

January nights average 29°. About 80 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 35°.

How much snow does Acorn get?

About 4.0 inches in a normal winter at Mena, AR, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 1 days a year.

How hot does it get in Acorn?

July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 68°. About 46 days a year reach 90° and 3 reach 100° (Mena, AR).

When is the first and last frost in Acorn?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 5 and the first fall frost by November 1, about 208 frost-free days, at Mena, AR.

What growing zone is Acorn in?

Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 10°.

What is the best time of year to visit Acorn?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Acorn getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 96% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Acorn.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.