Little Rock, AR weather in January
In January, Little Rock sees highs around 51°F and lows around 31°F: chilly, with some rain. Expect about 9 wet days. Snowfall averages about 1.0 in. It is one of the coldest months in Little Rock.
- Normal high
- 51°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 3.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.0 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 50°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 32°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:16 am / 5:08 pm | 7:08 am / 5:37 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 10.5 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 am37°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am39°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon46°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm49°Fdew point 32°F
- 6 pm45°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 pm42°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Little Rock Airport Adams Fld (3 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 31% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 56%.
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 snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below17 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 3.5 in; a dry January brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 4.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 1.0 in.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 62°F
- Coolest January1991: average high 46°F
- Wettest January2007: 9.6 in
- Driest January2003: 0.3 in
- Highest reading80°F (January 30, 2002)
- Lowest reading7°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 | 55°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 31°F | 34°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 10.1 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Shreveport, LA175 mi · high 58°F · 9 wet days
- Drier: Tulsa, OK230 mi · high 49°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Springfield, MO180 mi · high 44°F · 8 wet days
How Little Rock ranks in January
- Normal high178th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 4 in Arkansas
- Wet days174th driest of 378
- Comfortable days138th most of 339
What to pack for Little Rock in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 51°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- A hat and gloves – about 17 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 754 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Little Rock in January?
The normal high is 51°F and the normal low is 31°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 7°F (January 17, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Little Rock in January?
About 9 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2007 (9.6 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Little Rock in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 1.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is January a good time to visit Little Rock?
January ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Little Rock (45 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Little Rock Airport Adams Fld (USW00013963), 3.2 mi ESE of the city center, 258 ft (79 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Little Rock (USW00003952), 6.4 mi NNE of the city center, 568 ft (231 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Adams Field Airport (723403-13963), 3.3 mi ESE of the city center, 251 ft (86 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.