Fort Smith, AR weather in January
Fort Smith is chilly in January, with some rain: highs average 51°F and nights drop to about 30°F. Expect about 8 wet days. Snowfall averages about 1.4 in. This is the depth of winter in Fort Smith.
- Normal high
- 51°F
- Normal low
- 30°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 2.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.4 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 51°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 24% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:26 am / 5:15 pm | 7:17 am / 5:44 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.4 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 January day
- 6 am34°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 am37°Fdew point 30°F
- Noon44°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm49°Fdew point 30°F
- 6 pm44°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 pm40°Fdew point 30°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ft Smith Rgnl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 55% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 42%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F4 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 below20 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 2.9 in; a dry January brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 3.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 1.4 in.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 61°F
- Coolest January1991: average high 44°F
- Wettest January1998: 7.8 in
- Driest January2003: 0.4 in
- Highest reading79°F (January 31, 2017)
- Lowest reading6°F (January 17, 2018)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
January compared with December and February
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 53°F | 51°F | 57°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 30°F | 33°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 4 | 8 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +6°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Shreveport, LA201 mi · high 58°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Springfield, MO140 mi · high 44°F · 8 wet days
How Fort Smith ranks in January
- Normal high173rd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in Arkansas
- Wet days123rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days137th most of 339
What to pack for Fort Smith in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 30°F, highs near 51°F
- A hat and gloves – about 20 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 761 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fort Smith in January?
The normal high is 51°F and the normal low is 30°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 6°F (most recently on January 17, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Fort Smith in January?
About 8 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.9 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (7.8 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Fort Smith in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 1.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is January a good time to visit Fort Smith?
January ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fort Smith (45 out of 100). It has about 4 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.