Fort Smith climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Fort Smith?

Fort Smith has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 15.7 °C and it receives 1,178 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Fort Smith?

The hottest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 3 August 2011, reaching 44.7 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Fort Smith?

The coldest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 16 February 2021, at -22.4 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Fort Smith?

Yes. Fort Smith gets on average 13.9 cm of snow per year and has around 54 frost days.

Q: Has the climate of Fort Smith warmed?

Yes: Fort Smith warmed by +1.5 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Fort Smith?

The wettest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 20 March 2012, with 128 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Fort Smith?

The windiest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 2 April 1983, with winds reaching 39.2 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Fort Smith?

The warmest month in Fort Smith is July (27.1 °C on average); the coldest is January (3.2 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Fort Smith?

Fort Smith receives on average 1,178 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 112 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Fort Smith?

Fort Smith gets on average 9.3 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,395 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Fort Smith (United States) has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 15.7 °C and it receives 1,178 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is July (27.1 °C on average) and the coldest is January (3.2 °C). Rainfall peaks in May.

Fort Smith averages 54 frost days, 84 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 112 rainy days per year.

Fort Smith has warmed by +1.5 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.17 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The number of frost days there went from about 60 to 48 per year over the period.

The hottest day of the period reached 44.7 °C (on 3 August 2011) and the coldest -22.4 °C (on 16 February 2021).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

Fort SmithArkansas

coords: 35.39°, -94.40°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CfaHumid subtropicalWarmest monthJulyColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthMayDriest monthAugust

Mean daily temperature

15.7°C

Average daily high

21.3°C

Average daily low

10.8°C

Annual rainfall

1,178mm

Sunshine / day

9.3h

Mean relative humidity

69%

Average peak wind

14.3km/h

Seasonal range

23.9°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

54 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

84 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

112 d/yr

Annual snowfall

13.9 cm

Average feels-like high

21.1 °C

Average feels-like low

9.5 °C

Average peak gust

34.3 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

81 d/yr

Solar radiation

16.3 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.5 °C

since 1940

+0.2 °C per decade · r² = 0.29 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

44.7 °C

3 August 2011

Coldest day

-22.4 °C

16 February 2021

Wettest day

128 mm

20 March 2012

Windiest day

39.2 km/h

2 April 1983

Strongest gust

94.0 km/h

10 April 2008

Hottest feels-like

46.6 °C

20 August 2023

Coldest feels-like

-27.5 °C

16 February 2021

Snowiest day

16.7 cm

6 January 1988

Sunniest day

14.1 h

27 June 2012

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days	Frost days
2025	38.6 °C19 August 2025	-14.6 °C20 February 2025	17.0 °C	1,322 mm	86	48
2024	38.4 °C18 August 2024	-17.2 °C16 January 2024	17.4 °C	1,275 mm	110	41
2023	40.2 °C20 August 2023	-5.2 °C1 February 2023	17.3 °C	1,277 mm	101	37
2022	40.6 °C8 July 2022	-17.3 °C22 December 2022	16.6 °C	1,227 mm	115	70
2021	37.3 °C1 September 2021	-22.4 °C16 February 2021	16.6 °C	1,315 mm	97	43
2020	35.6 °C28 August 2020	-6.4 °C21 February 2020	16.3 °C	1,603 mm	83	33
2019	36.9 °C20 August 2019	-9.7 °C4 March 2019	16.1 °C	1,596 mm	91	49
2018	40.3 °C20 July 2018	-15.9 °C17 January 2018	16.1 °C	1,434 mm	107	58
2017	36.6 °C22 July 2017	-14.1 °C7 January 2017	17.1 °C	1,241 mm	80	36
2016	36.4 °C5 August 2016	-12.4 °C18 December 2016	17.4 °C	1,031 mm	105	40
2015	38.1 °C9 August 2015	-13.7 °C8 January 2015	16.6 °C	1,583 mm	96	53
2014	36.1 °C25 August 2014	-14.7 °C24 January 2014	14.8 °C	1,044 mm	64	72
2013	37.4 °C10 July 2013	-11.8 °C7 December 2013	15.3 °C	1,244 mm	93	66
2012	41.3 °C20 July 2012	-7.0 °C12 February 2012	18.1 °C	872 mm	115	34
2011	44.7 °C3 August 2011	-18.0 °C10 February 2011	16.9 °C	950 mm	108	51
2010	39.8 °C2 August 2010	-14.3 °C8 January 2010	16.3 °C	934 mm	110	59
2009	37.7 °C13 July 2009	-10.1 °C10 December 2009	15.5 °C	1,291 mm	73	57
2008	39.8 °C3 August 2008	-11.2 °C22 December 2008	15.7 °C	1,495 mm	73	59
2007	39.8 °C13 August 2007	-11.2 °C16 February 2007	16.6 °C	1,037 mm	79	51
2006	39.4 °C19 July 2006	-7.6 °C8 December 2006	17.1 °C	1,074 mm	102	40
2005	38.0 °C23 July 2005	-14.2 °C9 December 2005	16.7 °C	748 mm	114	39
2004	35.1 °C15 July 2004	-10.2 °C23 December 2004	16.1 °C	1,122 mm	58	50
2003	37.6 °C22 August 2003	-10.9 °C23 January 2003	15.7 °C	1,141 mm	69	56
2002	36.2 °C3 August 2002	-14.0 °C4 March 2002	15.6 °C	1,163 mm	85	55
2001	37.5 °C22 July 2001	-15.3 °C2 January 2001	16.2 °C	1,243 mm	84	45
2000	40.7 °C2 September 2000	-16.6 °C22 December 2000	16.0 °C	1,024 mm	89	58
1999	39.5 °C11 August 1999	-11.4 °C4 January 1999	16.7 °C	1,209 mm	75	28
1998	40.0 °C4 September 1998	-9.7 °C22 December 1998	17.2 °C	1,182 mm	118	33
1997	36.8 °C25 July 1997	-21.4 °C17 January 1997	15.1 °C	1,250 mm	75	43
1996	37.0 °C7 July 1996	-16.7 °C4 February 1996	14.8 °C	1,517 mm	64	64
1995	38.1 °C20 August 1995	-11.7 °C10 December 1995	15.7 °C	1,227 mm	76	55
1994	36.5 °C29 June 1994	-11.0 °C18 January 1994	15.8 °C	1,402 mm	77	44
1993	39.6 °C21 August 1993	-10.9 °C18 February 1993	15.1 °C	1,330 mm	78	53
1992	34.1 °C26 July 1992	-11.3 °C16 January 1992	15.4 °C	1,518 mm	55	38
1991	37.2 °C22 July 1991	-10.2 °C1 January 1991	16.2 °C	1,348 mm	92	50
1990	38.3 °C30 August 1990	-15.0 °C30 December 1990	16.5 °C	1,607 mm	88	36
1989	37.0 °C27 August 1989	-19.8 °C23 December 1989	15.0 °C	1,135 mm	70	64
1988	37.5 °C28 June 1988	-16.9 °C8 January 1988	15.5 °C	1,192 mm	95	62
1987	37.6 °C3 August 1987	-5.7 °C21 January 1987	16.1 °C	1,365 mm	91	47
1986	42.5 °C30 July 1986	-15.1 °C11 February 1986	16.1 °C	1,224 mm	78	46
1985	39.0 °C1 September 1985	-18.9 °C20 January 1985	15.2 °C	1,533 mm	90	71
1984	38.8 °C29 August 1984	-14.4 °C19 January 1984	15.5 °C	1,535 mm	87	51
1983	38.3 °C22 August 1983	-19.5 °C25 December 1983	14.9 °C	1,139 mm	81	57
1982	37.0 °C26 August 1982	-18.1 °C11 January 1982	15.4 °C	1,455 mm	79	54
1981	37.4 °C24 July 1981	-17.0 °C11 February 1981	15.5 °C	1,314 mm	70	56
1980	40.4 °C18 July 1980	-12.3 °C25 December 1980	15.8 °C	983 mm	107	66
1979	35.3 °C1 July 1979	-19.6 °C1 February 1979	14.4 °C	1,318 mm	73	76
1978	38.2 °C9 July 1978	-17.5 °C19 February 1978	14.9 °C	947 mm	96	80
1977	38.6 °C25 July 1977	-20.8 °C10 January 1977	15.7 °C	1,120 mm	90	63
1976	36.2 °C14 August 1976	-14.9 °C8 January 1976	14.6 °C	902 mm	57	64
1975	36.1 °C3 September 1975	-12.5 °C27 November 1975	14.9 °C	1,056 mm	68	60
1974	40.4 °C22 July 1974	-11.9 °C1 January 1974	15.4 °C	1,155 mm	68	53
1973	35.3 °C24 August 1973	-15.6 °C12 January 1973	15.3 °C	1,901 mm	61	45
1972	37.4 °C26 July 1972	-13.9 °C5 January 1972	15.2 °C	953 mm	95	59
1971	37.3 °C14 July 1971	-14.2 °C8 February 1971	15.5 °C	926 mm	82	47
1970	39.3 °C8 August 1970	-17.6 °C9 January 1970	15.1 °C	1,022 mm	87	64
1969	38.5 °C9 August 1969	-10.7 °C1 January 1969	15.2 °C	920 mm	86	59
1968	36.4 °C9 August 1968	-15.4 °C7 January 1968	14.6 °C	1,182 mm	69	73
1967	35.6 °C7 August 1967	-10.2 °C18 January 1967	15.2 °C	1,025 mm	60	62
1966	38.3 °C15 July 1966	-14.7 °C30 January 1966	15.0 °C	911 mm	74	63
1965	36.6 °C24 July 1965	-11.8 °C25 February 1965	15.8 °C	931 mm	84	59
1964	39.9 °C4 August 1964	-15.2 °C14 January 1964	15.6 °C	1,013 mm	87	69
1963	38.5 °C28 August 1963	-16.3 °C24 January 1963	15.9 °C	625 mm	108	72
1962	38.7 °C19 August 1962	-17.1 °C10 January 1962	15.4 °C	975 mm	90	59
1961	34.8 °C5 August 1961	-12.1 °C21 January 1961	14.8 °C	1,186 mm	65	57
1960	36.3 °C12 July 1960	-11.1 °C5 March 1960	14.6 °C	1,069 mm	85	81
1959	34.7 °C4 August 1959	-15.3 °C4 January 1959	15.1 °C	1,132 mm	68	58
1958	36.0 °C13 June 1958	-15.6 °C14 December 1958	14.9 °C	1,125 mm	82	61
1957	37.9 °C29 July 1957	-10.3 °C16 January 1957	15.5 °C	1,581 mm	72	45
1956	40.4 °C16 August 1956	-8.5 °C20 January 1956	16.3 °C	800 mm	114	52
1955	36.9 °C30 July 1955	-12.3 °C11 February 1955	15.6 °C	927 mm	82	72
1954	42.6 °C13 July 1954	-15.3 °C11 January 1954	16.9 °C	778 mm	112	47
1953	38.7 °C14 June 1953	-11.3 °C23 December 1953	16.3 °C	959 mm	118	46
1952	38.2 °C16 August 1952	-6.6 °C28 November 1952	15.8 °C	919 mm	113	51
1951	39.1 °C7 August 1951	-18.1 °C1 February 1951	15.2 °C	1,148 mm	83	63
1950	35.2 °C26 June 1950	-13.8 °C7 December 1950	14.9 °C	1,400 mm	38	63
1949	36.1 °C20 July 1949	-12.8 °C30 January 1949	15.6 °C	1,273 mm	80	46
1948	36.0 °C14 June 1948	-18.1 °C12 March 1948	15.1 °C	1,185 mm	76	65
1947	40.8 °C31 July 1947	-15.8 °C4 January 1947	15.5 °C	891 mm	89	54
1946	38.2 °C17 August 1946	-7.7 °C30 December 1946	16.5 °C	1,437 mm	76	32
1945	37.4 °C23 July 1945	-11.0 °C19 December 1945	15.2 °C	1,500 mm	60	53
1944	38.0 °C27 July 1944	-17.5 °C9 January 1944	15.9 °C	1,184 mm	86	46
1943	40.4 °C3 August 1943	-9.6 °C19 January 1943	16.0 °C	736 mm	91	54
1942	36.2 °C2 August 1942	-12.7 °C8 January 1942	14.8 °C	1,288 mm	70	53
1941	36.5 °C30 July 1941	-6.9 °C18 January 1941	15.2 °C	1,086 mm	81	62
1940	34.0 °C1 August 1940	-18.6 °C19 January 1940	13.9 °C	1,049 mm	49	65

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

22.6 °C

+1.3 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

86 d/yr

Frost days (< 0 °C)

48 d/yr

-6

Annual rainfall

1322 mm

+144 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	7.3 °C	-1.3 °C	97 mm	+24 mm
Feb	11.4 °C	+0.1 °C	75 mm	-10 mm
Mar	21.1 °C	+4.9 °C	79 mm	-45 mm
Apr	23.0 °C	+1.7 °C	262 mm	+117 mm
May	25.5 °C	+0.1 °C	134 mm	-13 mm
Jun	30.4 °C	+0.3 °C	185 mm	+91 mm
Jul	33.8 °C	+1.1 °C	53 mm	-21 mm
Aug	32.1 °C	-0.4 °C	89 mm	+27 mm
Sep	29.4 °C	+0.8 °C	115 mm	+32 mm
Oct	24.5 °C	+1.8 °C	98 mm	-1 mm
Nov	19.0 °C	+3.4 °C	114 mm	+10 mm
Dec	13.5 °C	+3.1 °C	20 mm	-66 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

38.6 °C

19 Aug 2025

Coldest day

-14.6 °C

20 Feb 2025

Wettest day

57.2 mm

4 Apr 2025

Windiest day

35.0 km/h

19 Mar 2025

Strongest gust

77.8 km/h

19 Mar 2025

Hottest feels-like

43.6 °C

30 Jul 2025

Coldest feels-like

-19.8 °C

20 Feb 2025

Snowiest day

7.8 cm

10 Jan 2025

Sunniest day

14.0 h

17 Jun 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Fort Smith?

Fort Smith has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 15.7 °C and it receives 1,178 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Fort Smith?

The hottest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 3 August 2011, reaching 44.7 °C.

What is the coldest day in Fort Smith?

The coldest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 16 February 2021, at -22.4 °C.

Does it snow in Fort Smith?

Yes. Fort Smith gets on average 13.9 cm of snow per year and has around 54 frost days.

Has the climate of Fort Smith warmed?

Yes: Fort Smith warmed by +1.5 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Fort Smith?

The wettest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 20 March 2012, with 128 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Fort Smith?

The windiest day measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 2 April 1983, with winds reaching 39.2 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Fort Smith?

The warmest month in Fort Smith is July (27.1 °C on average); the coldest is January (3.2 °C).

How much does it rain in Fort Smith?

Fort Smith receives on average 1,178 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 112 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Fort Smith?

Fort Smith gets on average 9.3 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,395 hours per year over 1940-2025.

What is the biggest single-day snowfall in Fort Smith?

The heaviest 24-hour snowfall measured in Fort Smith between 1940 and 2025 was 6 January 1988, with 16.7 cm.

Are there tropical nights in Fort Smith?

Yes: Fort Smith has on average 81 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Fort Smith?

In Fort Smith, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 46.6 °C on 20 August 2023, and the lowest was -27.5 °C on 16 February 2021.

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