Centrally located on the Arkansas River on the dividing line between the Ouachita Mountains to the west and the flat lowlands of the Mississippi River valley to the east, Little Rock experiences all of the air mass types common to North America. Winters are mild, but periods of cold weather can occur when arctic air moves in from the north. The city's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico results in summers that are often hot and humid. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with the heaviest rain falling during the winter and early spring. Snowfall is almost nonexistent, but freezing rain is a possibility when cold air flow from the north meets up with the moist Gulf air.
Area: 116 square miles (2000)
Elevation: Ranges from 300 feet to 630 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 40.1° F; July, 82.4° F; annual average, 62.1° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 45.73 inches of rain; 5.2 inches of snow