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

Little Rock, Arkansas Weather

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Little Rock, AR
Saturday, July 4 at 5:38 PM
76
°
Light Showers
Feels like
82°
Humidity
92%
Wind
10 mph
Sunrise
1:01 AM
Sunset
3:26 PM
Little Rock, AR
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastLittle Rock, AR: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 70 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit with a 49% chance of precipitation at 5 PM.
L 70°H 92°
Little Rock, AR
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Showers
    49%
    0.23″
    90°73°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    18%
    —
    92°70°+2°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Light Drizzle
    35%
    —
    95°72°+3°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Heavy Drizzle
    10%
    —
    94°73°-1°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Overcast
    —
    —
    96°74°+2°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Clear
    17%
    —
    101°75°+5°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Partly Cloudy
    14%
    —
    101°78°0°
Little Rock, AR
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°60°80°100°12p6p12a6anow 77°high 92°low 70°PRECIP %
Little Rock, AR
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SSW
205° · backing 166°
Direction
SSW
205°
Sustained
10
mph
Gust
15
mph
Peak 24h
20
avg 4
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 4 · pk 20 @ 1:00p
010203040MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6B7B8-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 336SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 166° from the ssw.
Little Rock, AR
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1004.8
+1.3 mb in 3h · rising · 29.67 inHg
Now
1004.8
mb
3h
+1.3
mb
12h
+1.0
mb
24h
+1.5
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1004–1006
1000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1006.21004.21006.0
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Pressure climbing out of the rain band — clearing edging in.
Little Rock, AR
Air quality
53
AQI
Moderate
→+1 in 6h

AQI 53 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM scrubbed by 2 hours of recent rain — PM2.5 down to 10.0 µg/m³, PM10 to 10.4 µg/m³.

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
2μg/m³
OzoneModerate
96μg/m³
UV IndexLow
1.4

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 45 — peak already passed at 1 PM under overcast skies. Levels should ease through evening.

Present
AQI 45
UV peak
1.2 at earlier today
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 45

PM × Wind × Precip

PM scrubbed by 2 hours of recent rain — PM2.5 down to 10.0 µg/m³, PM10 to 10.4 µg/m³.

PM2.5/PM10
0.96
Wind
breezy
Recent rain
2h in last 6h
Pattern
washed out

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 TREND50100SATSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³320
Little Rock, AR
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
93%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
18.6mi
UNLIMITED
61 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
22:38 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
22:38 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 · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:33 AM
Sunrise
1:01 AM
Daylight
14h 25m
Sunset
3:26 PM
Civil dusk
8:56 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Little Rock, AR
The moon
Waning Gibbous
78% illuminated
Moonrise
10:57 PM
Moonset
10:21 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Little Rock, AR
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

bird
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Little Rock at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 76°F — typical for the season
  • Last frost: March 15 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

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

16-Day Forecast — Little Rock

  1. Sat90°73°49%
  2. Sun92°70°18%
  3. Mon95°72°35%
  4. Tue94°73°10%
  5. Wed96°74°9%
  6. Thu101°75°17%
  7. Fri101°78°14%
  8. Sat93°72°23%
  9. Sun89°69°17%
  10. Mon87°65°11%
  11. Tue86°65°9%
  12. Wed88°67°13%
  13. Thu91°69°19%
  14. Fri92°73°23%
  15. Sat89°73°26%
  16. Sun77°70°22%

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 July 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 Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.

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.

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 · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

Dog-day cicadas emerge in waves, their rasp dominating every sunny hour; heat peaks above 90 degrees daily.

Day 185 of 365 · Wedge 37 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.