textproduct: Little Rock

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 116 AM CST Fri Dec 19 2025

-Roller coaster of temperatures into early next week as additional frontal passages are expected. Cooler conditions today...warmer for Saturday...then cooler again for Sunday...then very warm next week

-New front Saturday into Sunday brings some rain chances for southern portions of the area

-Ridging aloft over the region will becoming the main focus for next week...bringing a dry forecast...but a very warm and above normal forecast through Christmas

DISCUSSION

Issued at 116 AM CST Fri Dec 19 2025

A cold front pushed SE through the state on Thu afternoon...with precip ending from NW to SE...and NWRLY winds ushering in drier...cooler air. Pressure gradient behind this front was fairly tight...resulting in some significant gusts at times over 40 kts. However...these winds were gradually lessening over about 2-4 hrs...though some breezy NWRLY winds continued with gusts over 30 kts at times. Sustained winds early this morning were remaining below 20 kts...mainly in the 10 to 20 kts range.

Winds will continue to relax by midday as SFC high pressure moves over the region. Slightly cooler near normal conditions and much drier air will settle across the state for this Fri. With the overall lack of widespread heavy rainfall...have kept dewpts on the lower end of NBM guidance...but winds will remain low enough by mid afternoon to keep wildfire hazards limited.

SRLY flow will return tonight and especially for Sat as high pressure shifts east. Moisture levels will rebound again as a result...but a new front will be dropping south into the state late Sat afternoon. Highs will warm above normal ahead of this front...but the new front will bring another shot of cooler and drier air to the state Sat night through Sun. Some chances for SHRA will return to the forecast Sat night through Sun as this front moves through...mainly limited to SRN/SERN sections however as the front slows south of AR. Some rain chances may lift back north Mon into Tue as the front lifts back north with ridging aloft increasing over the region.

SRLY flow will persist into the rest of the forecast as the upper level ridging intensifies over the Gulf Coast and SRN MS River Valley Regions. Precip chances will become low once again...but more significantly...well above normal conditions are becoming more likely late in the forecast. Temps will warm into the 70s for highs for most areas...potentially approaching 80. This will end up being 20-25 deg above normal.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1107 AM CST Fri Dec 19 2025

VFR conditions will prevail throughout the entire forecast period. South to southwest winds will pick up slightly this afternoon with a few gust of 15 kts+. LLWS shear of 40-50 kt around 2k ft develop around 06-09z and persist through around 12z at all TAF sites. Winds will turn to the southwest Saturday afternoon with gusts of 20-25 kts ahead of an approaching cold front.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Batesville AR 37 62 37 53 / 0 0 0 0 Camden AR 38 68 46 56 / 0 0 40 20 Harrison AR 40 63 34 53 / 0 0 0 0 Hot Springs AR 39 65 44 54 / 0 0 10 10 Little Rock AR 38 64 42 53 / 0 0 10 10 Monticello AR 41 67 49 58 / 0 0 40 30 Mount Ida AR 41 66 44 56 / 0 0 10 10 Mountain Home AR 38 63 34 53 / 0 0 0 0 Newport AR 36 61 38 51 / 0 0 0 0 Pine Bluff AR 38 67 45 55 / 0 0 30 20 Russellville AR 38 65 41 56 / 0 0 0 0 Searcy AR 33 63 39 53 / 0 0 10 0 Stuttgart AR 38 64 43 53 / 0 0 10 10

LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.