January is one of the cooler months of the year in Little Rock, with average highs near 9.7°C and lows around -0.8°C (mean 4.4°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 95 mm of rainfall and 84% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Little Rock. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Little Rock was 2006 — when the month averaged 8.8°C — while the coldest was 1985 at 0.3°C. Typical January days reach 9.7°C with nights near -0.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Little Rock, averaging 95 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2024 with 224 mm, while the driest was 2003 at 7 mm.
Relative humidity in Little Rock during January averages 84%. The most humid January was 1998 at 90%, and the least humid was 2006 at 75%.
January receives about 2.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Little Rock. The sunniest January was 2014 at 3.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1991, 1993 and 2020 at 2.
Average wind speed in Little Rock during January is 0.5 m/s. The windiest January was 1996 at 0.6 m/s, while the calmest were 2011, 2015 and 2019, among others at 0.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 3.0°C | 4.8°C | 5.1°C | 4.4°C | 4.9°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg High | 8.2°C | 10.0°C | 10.4°C | 9.9°C | 10.4°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Low | -2.1°C | -0.3°C | -0.3°C | -1.0°C | -0.6°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 69 mm | 122 mm | 89 mm | 71 mm | 142 mm | +73 mm |
January temperatures in Little Rock have risen by about 2.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -17°C (1982) to a record high of 23.9°C (2002).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 95 mm, with a wettest year of 224 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.3°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Little Rock
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of May and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Little Rock. That said, January — with days averaging 9.7°C and nights around -0.8°C (mean 4.4°C) and higher rainfall (95 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.7°C | 3.1°C | -2.6°C | 20.5°C | -11.6°C | 107 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2024 🌧️ | 7.7°C | 2.5°C | -2.7°C | 19.4°C | -12.9°C | 224 mm | 84% | 0.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2023 | 13.5°C | 8.2°C | 2.9°C | 22.6°C | -5.3°C | 163 mm | 88% | 0.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2022 | 10.5°C | 4.0°C | -2.6°C | 21.8°C | -7.0°C | 84 mm | 77% | 0.5 m/s | 3 |
| 2021 | 10.2°C | 5.1°C | 0.1°C | 22.5°C | -4.3°C | 112 mm | 86% | 0.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2020 | 11.7°C | 6.6°C | 1.5°C | 22.4°C | -5.2°C | 162 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 2 |
| 2019 | 10.7°C | 5.3°C | 0.0°C | 18.6°C | -5.3°C | 106 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2018 | 8.4°C | 2.5°C | -3.3°C | 19.6°C | -14.4°C | 57 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2017 | 12.9°C | 7.9°C | 3.0°C | 22.7°C | -7.6°C | 56 mm | 82% | 0.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2016 | 9.7°C | 4.4°C | -0.9°C | 21.0°C | -5.3°C | 53 mm | 85% | 0.5 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2015 | 9.2°C | 3.9°C | -1.4°C | 17.4°C | -9.4°C | 86 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2014 | 7.9°C | 2.0°C | -3.9°C | 17.6°C | -13.0°C | 52 mm | 76% | 0.5 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 11.2°C | 6.0°C | 0.7°C | 23.4°C | -5.7°C | 118 mm | 86% | 0.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2012 | 13.0°C | 7.0°C | 1.0°C | 19.9°C | -5.5°C | 62 mm | 85% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2011 | 8.8°C | 3.2°C | -2.5°C | 20.5°C | -9.7°C | 34 mm | 81% | 0.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2010 | 6.9°C | 2.3°C | -2.3°C | 20.0°C | -11.3°C | 87 mm | 86% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2009 | 9.0°C | 3.5°C | -2.0°C | 19.2°C | -7.9°C | 70 mm | 82% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2008 | 9.5°C | 4.0°C | -1.5°C | 21.7°C | -6.2°C | 58 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2007 | 8.9°C | 4.3°C | -0.4°C | 17.1°C | -6.1°C | 191 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2006 🔥 | 15.0°C | 8.8°C | 2.6°C | 22.6°C | -2.6°C | 115 mm | 75% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2005 | 11.3°C | 6.8°C | 2.4°C | 21.3°C | -6.0°C | 124 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2004 | 11.2°C | 5.8°C | 0.4°C | 22.5°C | -6.6°C | 102 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2003 | 8.7°C | 3.1°C | -2.5°C | 18.3°C | -8.4°C | 7 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 12.0°C | 6.3°C | 0.6°C | 23.9°C | -9.0°C | 99 mm | 85% | 0.5 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2001 | 7.5°C | 2.4°C | -2.6°C | 16.6°C | -12.8°C | 88 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2000 | 11.1°C | 5.6°C | 0.2°C | 22.0°C | -6.4°C | 33 mm | 81% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1999 | 11.7°C | 6.4°C | 1.0°C | 20.4°C | -11.4°C | 179 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1998 | 12.4°C | 7.5°C | 2.7°C | 20.1°C | -4.0°C | 142 mm | 90% | 0.4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1997 | 8.4°C | 3.3°C | -1.9°C | 22.0°C | -13.4°C | 81 mm | 85% | 0.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1996 | 9.5°C | 3.7°C | -2.0°C | 20.3°C | -12.1°C | 62 mm | 80% | 0.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1995 | 10.3°C | 5.3°C | 0.3°C | 22.2°C | -5.9°C | 125 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1994 | 7.7°C | 2.8°C | -2.2°C | 19.1°C | -12.6°C | 134 mm | 85% | 0.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1993 | 9.3°C | 4.2°C | -0.9°C | 18.1°C | -6.0°C | 108 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1992 | 9.7°C | 4.7°C | -0.2°C | 18.9°C | -7.4°C | 75 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1991 | 7.8°C | 3.3°C | -1.1°C | 13.6°C | -5.9°C | 144 mm | 88% | 0.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1990 | 12.9°C | 7.1°C | 1.3°C | 19.1°C | -5.4°C | 175 mm | 83% | 0.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1989 | 12.0°C | 6.7°C | 1.5°C | 19.9°C | -4.5°C | 111 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 5.8°C | 1.3°C | -3.2°C | 19.2°C | -15.4°C | 90 mm | 88% | 0.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1987 | 8.7°C | 3.8°C | -1.2°C | 20.1°C | -5.6°C | 66 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1986 | 11.2°C | 4.9°C | -1.4°C | 21.0°C | -8.5°C | 8 mm | 78% | 0.5 m/s | 3 |
| 1985 ❄️ | 4.9°C | 0.3°C | -4.2°C | 15.1°C | -14.8°C | 88 mm | 84% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1984 | 6.6°C | 1.5°C | -3.6°C | 16.5°C | -13.6°C | 44 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1983 | 8.0°C | 3.4°C | -1.2°C | 15.2°C | -5.3°C | 37 mm | 88% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 7.7°C | 2.1°C | -3.5°C | 20.9°C | -17.0°C | 153 mm | 79% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 8.9°C | 3.3°C | -2.3°C | 18.2°C | -7.0°C | 25 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 9.7°C with lows near -0.8°C (mean 4.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 95 mm of rainfall in Little Rock, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 224 mm in 2024.
The hottest January reached 23.9°C in 2002. The coldest dipped to -17°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 2.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 7.2°C to 10.1°C and overnight lows from -3°C to -1°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Little Rock and one of the drier months, so plan for around 9.7°C daytime highs and -0.8°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Little Rock, averaging 4.4°C.
For January in Little Rock, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 9.7°C and lows of -0.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 84% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.5 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 0.6 m/s (1996).
The wettest January on record was 2024 with 224 mm. On average, January sees 95 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Little Rock behaves each January, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for January specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
