Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church · Photo: Valis55 · CC BY-SA 4.0More precipitation falls on Rye than on 93% of U.S. towns: 55 inches a year
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 92°. In July, afternoons here are warmer than in 86% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 0.6° above 1901–2000. Long walks are most pleasant from March to May and October to November, when afternoons reach 64–82°.
A year in Rye at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Rye’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Rye’s place in Arkansas beside it.
What a year in Rye feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 235 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 20 and the first by November 11. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Warren 2 Wsw, AR, 12 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Rye’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 15°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 55 inches of rain a year
April is the wettest month and September the driest. Rain falls on about 97 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.7" in a normal year at Monticello Muni Airport, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Rye
59% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Warren 2 Wsw, AR.
Living with Rye’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
235 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 20 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 11.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Rye from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (42%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 15%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Rye and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Rye yet.
Climates most like Rye’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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rye, AR | 34° | 92° | 55" | 0.7" |
| Columbus, MS | 33° | 92° | 56" | 0.4" |
| Hueytown, AL | 33° | 91° | 55" | 1.2" |
| Idabel, OK | 32° | 93° | 53" | 2.0" |
| Collierville, TN | 32° | 91° | 56" | 2.1" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Rye averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.2°).
A smaller shift than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Rye compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Rye’s place among Arkansas’.
Rye weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Rye’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Monticello Muni Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 34° | 4.6" | 0.6" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 50° |
| February | 57° | 37° | 4.9" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 55° |
| March | 66° | 43° | 5.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 49° – 65° |
| April | 74° | 51° | 6.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| May | 82° | 61° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| June | 89° | 68° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 75° – 84° |
| July | 92° | 72° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 77° – 85° |
| August | 91° | 70° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 76° – 85° |
| September | 86° | 63° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 72° – 82° |
| October | 76° | 52° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| November | 64° | 42° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| December | 55° | 36° | 5.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 35° – 53° |
| Year | 74° | 52° | 54.8" | 0.7" | 97 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 35° to 53°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Rye’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 Rye’s center.
- Snow: Monticello Muni Airport.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Warren 2 Wsw, AR, 12 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 Rye’s climate
What is the weather like in Rye?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 34°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 78% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Rye in winter?
January nights average 34°. About 58 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 39°.
How much snow does Rye get?
About 0.7 inches in a normal winter at Monticello Muni Airport, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Rye?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 72°. About 62 days a year reach 90° and 4 reach 100° (Warren 2 Wsw, AR).
When is the first and last frost in Rye?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 20 and the first fall frost by November 11, about 235 frost-free days, at Warren 2 Wsw, AR.
What growing zone is Rye in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 15°.
What is the best time of year to visit Rye?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Rye 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 Rye.
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.