Fort Smith, AR weather in December
December in Fort Smith: chilly, with some rain. Highs 53°F, lows 32°F, about 8 wet days and about 0.6 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Fort Smith.
- Normal high
- 53°F
- Normal low
- 32°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 0.6 in
- normal snowfall
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 57°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 25% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:08 am / 5:05 pm | 7:26 am / 5:14 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am37°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 am39°Fdew point 33°F
- Noon47°Fdew point 34°F
- 3 pm51°Fdew point 33°F
- 6 pm46°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 pm42°Fdew point 33°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ft Smith Rgnl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 40%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F5 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below16 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.5 in; a dry December brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 4.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.6 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 61°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 39°F
- Wettest December2015: 10.8 in
- Driest December2005: 0.4 in
- Highest reading80°F (December 3, 2012)
- Lowest reading9°F (December 9, 2005)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 63°F | 53°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 32°F | 30°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 5 | 4 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 9.8 h | 10.1 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Shreveport, LA201 mi · high 60°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Lee's Summit, MO244 mi · high 42°F · 5 wet days
- Cooler: Springfield, MO140 mi · high 47°F · 8 wet days
How Fort Smith ranks in December
- Normal high174th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in Arkansas
- Wet days141st driest of 378
- Comfortable days128th most of 340
What to pack for Fort Smith in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 32°F, highs near 53°F
- A hat and gloves – about 16 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 689 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fort Smith in December?
The normal high is 53°F and the normal low is 32°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 9°F (December 9, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Fort Smith in December?
About 8 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (10.8 in); the driest was in 2005 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Fort Smith in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.6 in.
Is December a good time to visit Fort Smith?
December ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fort Smith (47 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Ft Smith Rgnl Airport (USW00013964), 4.2 mi SSE of the city center, 449 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fort Smith Regional Airport (723440-13964), 4.1 mi SSE of the city center, 448 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.