Little Rock sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for winter warmth
High summer brings afternoon highs near 79°. A year here swings 82° from midwinter lows to midsummer highs. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 95% of U.S. towns. For walks and days out, the stretch from May to September brings highs of 65–79°.
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
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Little Rock’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Little Rock feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
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. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Red Lake Indian Agcy, MN, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Little Rock’s center in zone 3b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −32°. 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 24 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Little Rock
97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Red Lake Indian Agcy, MN.
Living with Little Rock’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
142 frost-free days in zone 3b. 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 with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 1.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Little Rock from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (54%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 32%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Little Rock and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Little Rock yet.
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 Little Rock averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.8°).
A bigger shift than in 82% 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 Little Rock compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Little Rock’s place among Minnesota’s.
Little Rock weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Little Rock’s center. 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" |
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°.
Where Little Rock’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 Little Rock’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Red Lake Indian Agcy, MN, 4 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 Little Rock’s climate
What is the weather like in Little Rock?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to −3°. Colder January nights than all but 18 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 95% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Little Rock in winter?
January nights average −3°. About 187 nights a year reach 32° or below and 52 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −5°.
How hot does it get in Little Rock?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 57°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Red Lake Indian Agcy, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Little Rock?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 12 and the first fall frost by October 4, about 142 frost-free days, at Red Lake Indian Agcy, MN.
What growing zone is Little Rock in?
Zone 3b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −32°.
What is the best time of year to visit Little Rock?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Little Rock getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Little Rock.
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.