Summers in Northwest Arkansas are wonderful but also incredibly exciting when it comes to all the events and outdoor activities available. So, if you’re new to the area, or are planning to come and stay, what should you expect in Northwest Arkansas in the summertime?
Northwest Arkansas summers can be quite dry, but they’re not as hot as other parts of the south. NWA summers are filled with outdoor activities, especially water sports. We also have numerous community and music events throughout the summer.
Continue reading if you want to learn more about the amazing summer activities in Northwest Arkansas. Before you do, though, don’t forget to download my 3-day itinerary of some things you can do in Northwest Arkansas.
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There’s Not Much Rain
The first thing you should know about Northwest Arkansas summers is the fact that they are pretty dry. There isn’t a lot of rain during the Northwest Arkansas summer but it does rain quite a bit in the springtime. However, it’s not as much as I’m used to in Illinois. Because of the springtime rain, we have lush trees and grass.
During the summertime, it dries out quite a bit, and I like this because of all the outdoor activities and events (we’ll talk about these later).
When it actually does rain, it’s usually very welcome because it will have been about three weeks since it has rained. This means you have to watch your plants and make sure they’re being watered. Although it does get pretty dry down here, the grass stays green.
It’s interesting because the soil here is more clay-based, so it’s still pretty wet. This means that nothing really dies out, it just gets a little drier, and it doesn’t rain as much, which is great for me because I love spending a lot of time outdoors.
In the Chicago-land area, where I moved from, you’re never quite sure when it will rain. Down here, it’s very predictable that it’s going to be dry for most of the summer, and I’m good with that.
NWA is a weird and exciting place! Here are 5 Weird Businesses in Northwest Arkansas
The Summers Are Hot but Bearable
The second thing about Northwest Arkansas summers is that they’re hot, but not too hot.
Right now, we’re going through a heatwave just like the rest of the US. The last few summers have had temperatures in the low nineties, around 93°F (33.8°C), and that’s at the highest point.
There is also low humidity during the dry parts of the summer. Speaking personally again, it’s not really too hot compared to Illinois, which is definitely cooler, but also a lot more humid because of the Great Lakes.
So, if you are coming down from Colorado, Portland, Oregon, California, or even some parts of Arizona, it’s going to be more humid than what you’re used to.
However, the nice thing is that it doesn’t get nearly as cold in the winter as in some of the northern states. It hardly ever snows here; if it does snow, it’s usually gone the next day. So, you’re probably coming down here for the more bearable winters, to say the least.
You can also be outdoors all year long, but in the summertime, you can still be outdoors because it doesn’t really get too hot out here. People still bike all the time, and also run, hike, swim, kayak, and more. So, the summers are really enjoyable down here, compared to other parts of America, like Florida.
Exciting Events This Fall In Northwest Arkansas – Read here
Also, I have a 3-day itinerary that can help you decide what activities to do if you’re overwhelmed by everything Northwest Arkansas has to offer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, a sports person, a sightseer, or want to spend quality time with your kids; I have something for you. Check out the link below to learn more:
https://www.allthingsnwa.com/3-day-itinerary-northwest-arkansas
There Are Plenty of Water Activities
The next thing you need to know about Northwest Arkansas summers is that we are very big on anything related to water, be it pools, kayaks, any sort of river, or water sports – we’re all over it. We have everything:
- Beaver Lake
- Beaches
- Splash pads
- Pools
- Waterfalls
Northwest Arkansas is equipped for any sort of water activity you could possibly imagine – ever. The summertime is definitely geared towards anything with water. Often, families will bring their kids to all the splash pads around the area.
We also have many rivers, like the Buffalo River and White River (just to name a few). The Buffalo River is great for people who kayak because of its rapids. If you’re not a fan of that, we also have many different pools, both public and private. There are many apartment pools and community pools.
When it comes to summertime in Northwest Arkansas, water activities are incredibly popular. If you’re the kind of person who likes spending time in the water, Northwest Arkansas has got it covered for you.
Why Are People Retiring To Northwest Arkansas? Find out
Northwest Arkansas Is Cooler Than Most of the South
I mentioned this in a previous section in part, but Northwest Arkansas is usually a little cooler than most of the south in general.
That’s because we have these rolling mountains (we’ll call them mountains), but we sit at a slightly higher elevation, depending on where you are in Northwest Arkansas. On top of that, we have a lot of trees, and so that cools everything down and creates shade everywhere.
If you go to Little Rock, Arkansas, it’s a flat area, and there are no trees down there, and it’s really hot. Up in Northwest Arkansas, however, there are many valleys and dips, so there can be a 10-degree temperature difference between parts of Northwest Arkansas. So, it really is a cooler area compared to most of the south and also Arkansas in general.
What about the other three seasons? If you want to learn more, check out my article about the weather during all four seasons in Northwest Arkansas.
There Is Lots of Music, Community, and Events
Lastly, summertime here in Northwest Arkansas is definitely dedicated to music, outdoor activities, and any sort of recreation besides the water stuff we talked about and other community events.
Our farmer’s markets run from March all the way to December. They end at around Christmas time because we can be outside that long. Summertime is definitely great for all the farmer’s markets, as this is the time and place to get any sort of vegetables planted by local farmers.
The cool thing is that there are two harvests here because you have the spring-to-summer harvest, and then you have another one later in the fall before everything starts dying off in November and December. Every city has a farmer’s market, and they’re wonderful.
If you’re interested in this topic, read my other article to see what are some of the best farmer’s markets in Northwest Arkansas.
On top of that, there are many community events, including music concerts. Every city has music outdoors almost every single night because it usually doesn’t rain (remember?). This means that we can plan all these big outdoor events. There are First Fridays for Bentonville and First Thursdays for Fayetteville, and all the cities in the area have different events going on.
We have the amphitheater, which is an open space for around 20,000 people to watch concerts. Many of these events are based around spring, summer, and fall, but especially the summertime because it’s just gorgeous outside.
The sunsets are amazing, and it’s just so amazing to be outdoors, enjoying the weather and all these community and music events in the summertime in Northwest Arkansas. So, if you want to experience any of those things, definitely check out Northwest Arkansas.
Conclusion
If you’re somebody who likes hot summers and spending time around water, then Northwest Arkansas is perfect for you. Also, Northwest Arkansas offers countless community and music events almost every day during the summertime.