...WINTER WINTER ADVISORY IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST WEDNESDAY...
* WHAT...Significant icing. Additional ice accumulations of near
one quarter of an inch.
* WHERE...Sevier, Howard, Hempstead and Nevada Counties.
* WHEN...Until 9 AM CST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Bridges and overpasses could become slick resulting in
travel impacts this morning. Those impacts will continue through
the day and especially into the overnight hours. Power outages
and tree damage are likely due to the ice.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in
your vehicle in case of an emergency. Prepare for possible power
outages.
The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can
be obtained by calling 5 1 1, or in Arkansas see the idrivearkansas.com website.
National Weather Service in Little Rock warns of accumulating ice in Arkansas; Winter weather briefing attached
Accumulating ice is possible across much of the state, but the highest totals (a quarter inch or more) will likely be in the central third of the state. An ice storm warning is in effect for those areas with surrounding areas in a winter weather advisory.
Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for portions of northern, west-central, and southern Arkansas. An Ice Storm Warning is in effect for portions of central and northeastern Arkansas.
• As temperatures slowly drop at or below freezing, two systems are expected to pull moisture into the state. The first system is expected by this afternoon bringing the chance of freezing rain/sleet to portions of northern and central Arkansas. The second system (the main freezing rain producer) is expected to move in Tuesday afternoon, affecting a larger portion of the state.
Winter Storm Warning in effect for McCurtain County in Southeastern Oklahoma; Winter Weather Advisory for Sevier and Howard Counties in SW Arkansas
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for McCurtain County, Oklahoma. A Winter Weather Advisory is also in effect N of I-30 by mid afternoon through tonight. Snow accumulations will be slushy to start, with slush and snow-covered roads becoming slick into the evening hours.
Arctic Air to Blast Arkansas This Week
The latest guidance is showing the front moving through earlier than previous thinking and crossing the Mississippi River by mid to late afternoon.
We are still expecting a blast of bitterly cold air behind the front with dangerous wind chills by Friday morning. The arctic air will settle over the state through Christmas with only some moderation expected. The winds will slacken on Friday as the system pulls away but the cold will remain. There is currently a wind chill watch in effect for the north with wind chill advisories or warnings likely across most if not all of the state with time.
Finally there could be some snow across mainly the north and northwest with an inch or two possible but most areas will see less than that as the system will be moving very quickly, moisture is limited and the window for accumulating snow is relatively small.