When we moved from Joplin, Missouri the weather in October of 2002 the tempature was in the 70's...for two days.  Then it began to rain and we didn't see the sun again for three weeks!  Finally, the sun came out, and the temperature once again climbed into the 70's.  Two weeks later it was in the 30's.  Everyone told us that if we didn't like the weather, just wait a minute and it would change.  Funny, that's what everyone told us when we lived in Joplin, Missouri, and when we lived in Kansas City, Missouri.  It's what I was told when I moved to Dallas, Texas from Akron, Ohio when I was fresh out of College.  Guess Hawaii is the only place on earth where you can count on knowing what the weather will be tomorrow.  But who can afford to live in Hawaii??  Although weather prediction has become a true technological science, it's still not an exact science and still often unpredictable. 

The winter of 2003 in Bella Vista (our first) had us thinking that we should have moved further south.  There were three snowfalls with 6" - 8" of snow each time, and two of them hung around for more then a week.  One was gone the next day, which is the norm for snow around here I've been told.  I even got to build a snowbear (my idea of a snowman).   Sadly (or happily depending on how you look at it) he didn't last long.  The very next morning he was leaning backwards staring at the sky as if to plead to the good Lord to keep him from melting.  Alas, by 5:00 that evening he was nothing but a big dirty snowball.  The next day it got up to 60 degrees!  

That was in January 2003.  Early Feb. we had some beautiful weather, but by the end of Feb. it was 22 degrees with 8 inches of snow on the ground again.  It was NOT a normal winter so I did some searching the net and came up with the monthly average temperature chart below so you can get an idea of the weather norms throughout the year.

WEATHER UPDATE 2006 - This was the warmest and the driest winter on record here in Northwest Arkansas for over 100 years!  We only ran our fireplace 3 evenings.  Finally did have a snow though, and I was able to sled down my hill...been waiting to do that since I purchased a sled at a garage sale the summer after our first winter when we had a 20" snow (2003).) 

WEATHER UPDATE 2009 - Global warming is taking it's toll!  We've had more over 90 degree days this summer then I can ever remember, and with all the trees and lakes humidity has been high too.  The Winter was extremely mild.  I was only able to sled one day down our hill (and the 40 pounds I've put on since quitting smoking in 2005 made that not nearly as enjoyable as it once was, I'm sorry to say).  We did have a rare spring icy snow storm, which trapped many in Bella Vista indoors for a few days and kept some without power.  By far the worst of the ice storm whet south into Springdale and Fayetteville though, causing much tree damage and widespread power outages. 

DON'T YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF TORNADOS?

Gosh, I sure hope not!  Better do some research on that question....Be right back 

(long pause)

Found It! 

Guess we do have a few from time to time, but just a bunch little guys and a couple F3's. 
Most of the big mean tornados around here are in Oklahoma and Kansas, although southern
and central Arkansas has seen their fair share of dangerous tornados. Ours have been 
are relatively small and harmless, I think thanks to the Ozark hills and trees. 

Benton County Tornadoes 
1954 - 1995

A tornado did touch down in Centerton, Bentonville and Pea Ridge, about 10 - 15 miles southwest, south, and southeast of Bella Vista in 2006.  I believe it was rated an F3.  Some homes were destroyed and other's damaged but only minor injuries and no fatalities.  Both Bentonville, Centerton and Pea Ridge are pretty flat, not like the hills of Bella Vista.  

  That about covers the weather in Bella Vista, Arkansas pretty thoroughly.  Remember, if you don't like the weather, then just wait a minute and it will change!

My thanks to the Weather Channel and The Tornado Project .