An arctic cold front will move through Arkansas later this week, bringing the possibility of snow and subzero wind chills, according to the National Weather Service.
After a midweek warming trend, the cold front is expected to begin moving through Arkansas on Friday, according to the weather service.
Snow is possible for much of the state north of Interstate 40, while freezing rain could be a problem in south Arkansas. But it’s too early to predict how much snow or freezing precipitation there will be.
“It’s going to be the first winter weather event of the season, but it’s way too early to get into the weeds,” Joe Goudsward, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in North Little Rock, said Monday.
“It looks like more snow for us,” he said. “The best chances of freezing rain appear to be south of us. But this far out, the models keep flip-flopping a little bit, so for right now we’ll just say winter weather.”
Along with that winter weather will be very cold temperatures, with highs projected to be around 20 degrees across most of the state Saturday.
Snow showers are possible Friday and Saturday across Arkansas, according to National Weather Service offices in North Little Rock, Tulsa, Memphis and Shreveport.
High temperatures are expected to be in the upper 30s on Friday across north and Central Arkansas with a chance of snow showers during the day. On Friday night, the temperature will dive into the lower teens as the chance for precipitation increases to about 60%.
It’ll be slightly warmer in south Arkansas, with a low of about 20 degrees Friday night and a high of about 26 on Saturday.
On Saturday, chances of precipitation are 50% in Northwest Arkansas, 60% in Central Arkansas and 70% in south Arkansas.
“The model data are leaning toward snow in Northwest Arkansas with more of a mix down south, but that could change depending on where the deep cold air actually sets up later on this week,” said Karen Hatfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tulsa, which monitors the weather in seven counties in Northwest Arkansas. “I’d say from the Arkansas River Valley south, they may have a little better chance of freezing rain than points to the north, but again, there’s so much uncertainty as to where the deep, cold air is going to be versus the shallow cold air.
“It’s definitely going to be cold, and our confidence is increasing that there’s going to be some type of winter precipitation across our region.”
Hatfield said people need to be thinking about their weekend plans because they may need to change them. Also, restock winter weather kits and have nonperishable food at home, she said.
“Definitely keep an eye on the forecast because it’s going to change this week,” said Hatfield.
For Central and Northwest Arkansas, high temperatures will be near 50 degrees Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, according to the weather service.
There’s a chance of rain Tuesday in Little Rock with rain likely Wednesday.
In Northwest Arkansas, there is a 20% chance of showers Tuesday, but Wednesday is forecast to be mostly sunny with no precipitation.
Winter weather was predicted all the way south to Texarkana, where rain, freezing rain and sleet are likely before midnight Friday, then snow, freezing rain and sleet are likely in the early morning hours and during the daytime on Saturday.
Meanwhile, parts of northeast Arkansas are still experiencing extreme drought, while about half of the state is experiencing severe drought.
Thirty-six of Arkansas’ 75 counties were under burn bans as of Sunday.
