Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Little Rock, Arkansas Weather

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Little Rock weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Little Rock, AR
Sunday, August 2 at 10:00 AM
79
°
Mostly Clear
Feels like
81°
Humidity
67%
Wind
11 mph
Sunrise
1:20 AM
Sunset
3:10 PM
Little Rock, AR
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastLittle Rock, AR: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 71 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 71°H 92°
Little Rock, AR
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Overcast
    —
    —
    92°71°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Mostly Clear
    —
    —
    95°71°+3°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Clear
    —
    —
    100°71°+5°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Overcast
    —
    —
    105°74°+5°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Light Drizzle
    10%
    —
    103°80°-2°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Overcast
    14%
    —
    101°77°-2°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Overcast
    14%
    —
    102°76°+1°
Little Rock, AR
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°65°83°100°12p6p12a6anow 79°high 92°low 71°
Little Rock, AR
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NNW
338° · veering 36°
Direction
NNW
338°
Sustained
11
mph
Gust
19
mph
Peak 24h
21
avg 8 mph
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 8 mph · pk 21 mph @ 2:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 193SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 36° from the nnw.
Little Rock, AR
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
999.6
+0.4 mb in 3h · steady · 29.52 inHg
Now
999.6
mb
3h
+0.4
mb
12h
+1.0
mb
24h
+2.1
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 998–1000
9909951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1000.3997.5999.6
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Little Rock, AR
Air quality
51
AQI
Moderate
→0 in 6h

AQI 51 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 10.0 µg/m³, PM10 at 10.2 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
10.0μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
1μg/m³
OzoneModerate
90μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
3.6

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 43 now. With UV 5.1 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 29.

Present
AQI 43
UV peak
5.1 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 29

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 10.0 µg/m³, PM10 at 10.2 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.98
Wind
breezy
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³320
Little Rock, AR
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
26%
MOSTLY CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
53.0mi
UNLIMITED
76 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
15:00 UTC · Little Rock, AR · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
15:00 UTC · Little Rock, AR · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Little Rock, AR
Satellite · infrared · animated
Little Rock, AR
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Little Rock, AR
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:53 AM
Sunrise
1:20 AM
Daylight
13h 50m
Sunset
3:10 PM
Civil dusk
8:40 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Little Rock, AR
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:52 PM
Moonset
10:14 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Little Rock, AR
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Little Rock at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 11°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 15 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 72201, 72202, 72204, 72205, 72206, 72207, 72209, 72210 +4 more

16-Day Forecast — Little Rock

  1. Sun92°71°0%
  2. Mon95°71°1%
  3. Tue100°71°0%
  4. Wed105°74°1%
  5. Thu103°80°10%
  6. Fri101°77°14%
  7. Sat102°76°14%
  8. Sun100°78°10%
  9. Mon101°76°6%
  10. Tue100°77°7%
  11. Wed102°78°9%
  12. Thu102°77°9%
  13. Fri104°81°22%
  14. Sat105°82°29%
  15. Sun106°78°17%
  16. Mon102°80°20%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Little Rock

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

Sun & seasons in Little Rock

Little Rock sits in Pulaski County, where the year’s longest day runs 14h 29m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 49m — a swing of +4h 40m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Fayetteville, the state’s largest city, lies about 138 miles to the NW. The nearest town Little Rock tracks is Fayetteville, roughly 138 miles to the NW.

Air quality in Little Rock’s county has trended dirtier since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2020 (median AQI 50). See the full air-quality history for Little Rock.

January 1–5: Frost quiets the live oaks.January 6–10: Still water thickens with ice.January 11–15: Springs begin to move beneath ice.January 16–20: Cardinal dawn calls grow bolder.January 21–25: Late January thaw pulses.January 26–31: Last freeze locks the land.February 1–5: February's lengthening light.February 6–10: Warming winds thaw the margin.February 11–15: Magnolia blooms break the gray.February 16–20: Mockingbirds resume the dawn chorus.February 21–25: Rain replaces the last snow.February 26–28: Mist clings to greening valleys.March 1–5: The green pulse awakens.March 6–10: Hibernators emerge to call.March 11–15: Dogwood and redbud ignite.March 16–20: Swallowtails emerge from winter silk.March 21–25: Light crowns the dogwood canopy.March 26–31: Redbud cascades over the thaw.April 1–5: Thunder announces the wet season.April 6–10: Barn swallows carve the warming sky.April 11–15: Magnolia blooms and falls in a breath.April 16–20: First rainbows arch over thunderheads.April 21–25: Reeds push through marsh water.April 26–30: Frost retreats; seedlings rise free.May 1–5: Warblers flood the canopy in waves.May 6–10: Tulip poplar lights the forest crown.May 11–15: Shad pulse upstream through rapids.May 16–20: Roses open on the Piedmont edge.May 21–25: Fireflies scout the humid dusk.May 26–31: Frog choruses rise from every wetland.June 1–5: Fireflies pulse through the magnolias.June 6–10: Kudzu climbs deeper into green.June 11–15: Sun climbs to its northern throne.June 16–20: Heat settles and the rain begins.June 21–25: The longest day turns toward shadow.June 26–30: Fireflies drift through Spanish moss.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon.July 6–10: Thunderheads boil and break at dusk.July 11–15: Thunder builds each drowsy afternoon.July 16–20: Cicadas claim the long noon.July 21–25: Dog days drape the earth in haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their rasping chorus.August 1–5: Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night.August 6–10: Meteorological summer's turning page.August 11–15: Cool winds gather at the margins.August 16–20: Dog-day cicadas rise.August 21–25: Heat breaks in creek beds.August 26–31: Monarchs gather strength.September 1–5: Harvests begin in earnest.September 6–10: Dew beads on resurrection fern.September 11–15: Raptors trail the thermals.September 16–20: Day and dark find balance.September 21–25: Thunder quiets the land.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Swamp waters recede.October 6–10: Maples ignite the ridge.October 11–15: Asters crown the meadows.October 16–20: Crickets sing at dusk.October 21–25: Frost paints the garden.October 26–31: Light rains whisper down.November 1–5: Sweetgum Turns Crimson.November 6–10: Camellia Blooms Break Through.November 11–15: Earth Stiffens Underfoot.November 16–20: Bare Limbs Hold the Light.November 21–25: First Frost Grips the High Ground.November 26–30: North Wind Strips the Last Leaves.December 1–5: Darkness Falls Before Dinner.December 6–10: Winter Locks the Land.December 11–15: Wildlife Retreats to Shelter.December 16–20: Ice Edges Deepen Inward.December 21–25: The Sun Begins its Return.December 26–31: The Year Turns in Silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

Sunset slides back toward 8 PM; darkness creeps in, signaling summer's decline though heat persists.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

July is Little Rock's warmest stretch (~81°F) and January its coldest (~41°F); precipitation crests in April at 5.6 inches and ebbs in September to 3.0 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January41°3.5″6
February45°4.0″6
March53°5.0″8
April61°5.6″7
May70°5.1″7
June78°3.5″6
July81°3.3″6
August81°3.2″5
September74°3.0″4
October63°4.5″6
November51°4.7″6
December43°5.1″6

Regional context

Drawing on NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Little Rock's January averages 41°F and July 81°F — 41°F apart — while precipitation totals roughly 50.4 inches over some 71 days.

Little Rock's precipitation spreads evenly: April peaks at 5.6 inches on 6.8 wet days, while September holds 3.0 inches over 4.4 — no month dominates Little Rock's rain calendar. That lines Little Rock up with places like Cammack Village, AR, Sweet Home, AR and College Station, AR, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Little Rock's growing window opens around mid-March, once Little Rock's overnight lows stop freezing — sow peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes. Warm-soil crops in Little Rock wait about two weeks past Little Rock's last frost, once the soil warms. Little Rock's window closes around mid-December as overnight lows return below freezing. In Little Rock, low spots run 4-7°F colder than nearby slopes, nudging Little Rock's frost dates a week.

Similar climates: Cammack Village, AR, Sweet Home, AR, College Station, AR, North Little Rock, AR, Shannon Hills, AR.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the peak blooming period for southern magnolia trees across Little Rock.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds typically return to Arkansas gardens during the second week of April.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Little Rock?
Frost typically leaves Little Rock by mid-March and returns to Little Rock near mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Little Rock?
Rainfall in Little Rock peaks in April near 5.6 inches, out of about 50 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Little Rock?
The warmest stretch in Little Rock comes in July, around 81°F on average.
What is the coldest month in Little Rock?
On average January is the chilliest month in Little Rock, about 41°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Little Rock?
Little Rock's last frost (mid-March) cues hardy greens; in Little Rock, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Little Rock get?
Little Rock records around 71 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Little Rock?
Little Rock's USDA zone comes from its January mean (41°F); enter the ZIP on the USDA lookup for the number.
What is the 10-day forecast for Little Rock?
Little Rock's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Little Rock?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Little Rock in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Little Rock?
Current conditions for Little Rock and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Little Rock forecast updated?
The Little Rock forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Little Rock?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Little Rock are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Little Rock?
The next few days in Little Rock's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Little Rock, Arkansas occupies a humid subtropical zone, with January means near 41°F and July around 81°F — a 40°F swing.

Across the year, Little Rock collects about 50 inches of precipitation over roughly 71 days with measurable rain or snow.

Latitude 34.7°N gives Little Rock its 40°F swing, and with it the rhythm of Little Rock's growing season.

All cities in Arkansas →

ZIP codes in Little Rock

  • 72211
  • 72210
  • 72212
  • 72223
  • 72227
  • 72209
  • 72202
  • 72201
  • 72206
  • 72207
  • 72204
  • 72205
  • 72103
  • 72215
  • 72217
  • 72219
  • 72222
  • 72225
  • 72231
  • 72255
  • 72260
  • 72295

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.