Weather
Arkansas Weather: 80° Warmth Holds Through Saturday, Oct. 24
Little Rock, AR – Central Arkansas residents can expect several more days of unusually warm feeling October weather, with afternoon temperatures near 80 degrees continuing through Saturday, October 24
By Marcus Hale · 2026-10-21T10:46:23.395Z
Little Rock, AR – Central Arkansas residents can expect several more days of unusually warm feeling October weather, with afternoon temperatures near 80 degrees continuing through Saturday, October 24. Sunshine, comfortable mornings and limited rainfall opportunities will dominate the forecast around Little Rock, giving residents an extended stretch of favorable conditions for outdoor activities.
According to the National Weather Service forecast for the Little Rock area, temperatures will reach approximately 79 degrees Wednesday before climbing to 81 degrees Thursday. Highs remain near 80 degrees Friday and Saturday, with overnight lows generally falling into the lower 50s.
Warm October Pattern Continues Into Saturday The extended stretch of sunshine comes as a broad upper level ridge supports above average temperatures across portions of the central United States.
The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center indicates that warmer than normal conditions will continue across the central part of the country into the weekend.
For central Arkansas, that means afternoon temperatures near 80 degrees despite the calendar moving deeper into October.
The difference between afternoon highs and nighttime lows will also remain noticeable. Temperatures could fall roughly 30 degrees between the warmest part of the day and the following morning.
Central Arkansas Five Day Weather Outlook Wednesday 10/21: Sunny skies are expected across the Little Rock forecast area, with a high near 79 degrees. Northeast winds develop around 5 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures falling to approximately 51 degrees.
Thursday 10/22: Sunshine continues, with a high near 81 degrees. Northeast winds remain light at approximately 5 mph during the afternoon. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low near 52 degrees.
Friday 10/23: Sunny conditions persist, with a high near 80 degrees. East northeast winds develop around 5 mph during the afternoon. Friday night will be mostly clear, with a low near 52 degrees.
Saturday 10/24: Another sunny afternoon is forecast, with temperatures reaching approximately 80 degrees. Southeast winds remain around 5 mph. Saturday night brings partly cloudy skies and a low near 50 degrees.
Sunday 10/25: Mostly sunny skies are expected, with a high near 77 degrees. East southeast winds develop around 5 mph during the afternoon. Sunday night will be mostly cloudy, with temperatures falling to approximately 51 degrees.
What Happens After the Weekend? The National Weather Service expects temperatures to remain relatively mild early next week.
Monday's forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and a high near 77 degrees, followed by a partly cloudy night with temperatures around 53 degrees.
Tuesday is expected to remain mostly sunny, with a high near 76 degrees.
NOAA Outlook: October 28 November 3 Looking farther ahead, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center favors above normal temperatures across Arkansas during the October 28 November 3 period.
The agency's precipitation outlook also indicates increased odds of above normal precipitation across the state.
That longer range signal does not guarantee rain on any particular day, but it suggests wetter conditions may become more likely after the current dry stretch.
Residents should monitor updated forecasts at weather.gov/lzk as the extended outlook becomes clearer.