Little Rock, Arkansas Weather
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Little Rock weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast——85°66°—
- ThursdayJun 4Overcast12%—88°67°+3°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——88°67°0°
- SaturdayJun 6Light Drizzle33%—86°71°-2°
- SundayJun 7Light Showers62%—87°73°+1°
- MondayJun 8Heavy Drizzle50%—95°71°+8°
- TuesdayJun 9Drizzle37%—94°73°-1°
PM2.5 at 10.4 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust. AQI up 14 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise).
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 48. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 48
- UV peak
- 0.2 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 6
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 10.4 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.91
- Wind
- light
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- stagnant smoke
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).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 4:23 AM
- Moonset
- 2:26 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias
Little Rock at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 81°F — typical for the season
- Last frost: March 15 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 4, 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.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Little Rock
SPC has placed Little Rock in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms day after tomorrow.
- TODAYNONENo severe risk
- TOMORROWNONENo severe risk
- DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | — |
| May | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Little Rock's warmest temperatures (~81°F mean) while January delivers the coldest (~41°F). April sees peak rainfall at 5.6 inches, while September records the lowest at 3.0 inches.
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 3.5″ | 6 |
| February | 45° | 4.0″ | 6 |
| March | 53° | 5.0″ | 8 |
| April | 61° | 5.6″ | 7 |
| May | 70° | 5.1″ | 7 |
| June | 78° | 3.5″ | 6 |
| July | 81° | 3.3″ | 6 |
| August | 81° | 3.2″ | 5 |
| September | 74° | 3.0″ | 4 |
| October | 63° | 4.5″ | 6 |
| November | 51° | 4.7″ | 6 |
| December | 43° | 5.1″ | 6 |
Regional context
Little Rock falls within a humid subtropical climate region. This places the city among a group of locations that share similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions.
Similar climates: Fayetteville, AR, Fort Smith, AR, Springdale, AR, Jonesboro, AR, Conway, 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?
- Little Rock's last spring frost typically falls around mid-March, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in Little Rock?
- April receives the most rainfall with about 5.6 inches on average; the city gets roughly 50 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Little Rock?
- July typically brings the warmest weather, averaging about 81°F.
- What is the coldest month in Little Rock?
- January typically brings the coldest temperatures, averaging about 41°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Little Rock?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be planted around the last spring frost (mid-March); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) should wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Little Rock get?
- Little Rock averages about 71 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Little Rock?
- Little Rock's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Little Rock, Arkansas experiences a humid subtropical climate zone. January temperatures hover near 41°F while July averages 81°F — creating a 41°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Little Rock receives about 50 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 71 rainy days.
Several factors determine the annual weather pattern: latitude (34.7°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation. These elements influence what grows here, when frost occurs, and daily weather conditions.