textproduct: Little Rock

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1054 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

- Gradual warming trend starts today through Thursday.

- Mainly dry conditions expected Sunday through Thursday.

- Rain and thunderstorm chances return Friday into next weekend.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1102 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Satellite late tonight shows band of cloudiness of southern and southeast Arkansas with light rain over far southern and southeast part of the state. An area of high pressure over the southern Plains will combined with a ridge of high pressure over the upper midwest later today. Both ridges will move off to the east allowing more southerly return then southwesterly by Tuesday allowing temperatures to gradually moderate into the lower 80s in parts of the state by mid week through the end of the work week.

Attention turn to the next weather maker for the state. Model guidance has a long wave trough coming ashore over southern California sometime Monday night into Tuesday. Both deterministic and ensemble guidance shows some subtle differences on how far the trough digs as it progresses east across the western US. The trough will move into the Rockies by Wednesday, then into the central Plains by Thursday before ejecting northeast into the Great Lakes region Friday into Saturday. The trough will drag a cold front through the state bringing chances of showers and thunderstorms to the state Friday into Saturday.

Some deterministic and ensemble guidance are hinting at the possibility of severe weather across the state. At this time, is too far out to get into specifics related to timing, placement, and specific hazards related to severe weather on Friday into Saturday.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1219 AM CDT Sun Apr 19 2026

Low IFR/MVFR ceilings over far southern and southeast Arkansas will push out south of the state before sunrise. Drier air will continue to filter intoe the state and VFR conditions will prevail through the remainder of the forecast period. Some afternoon breezes up to 16 kts are possible at KHRO this afternoon out of the south/southwest. Elsewhere, light and variable winds are expected, but will turn more southerly near the end of the period as high pressure pushes east of the area.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Batesville AR 75 48 78 53 / 0 0 0 0 Camden AR 75 44 80 48 / 0 0 0 0 Harrison AR 72 46 78 51 / 0 0 0 0 Hot Springs AR 77 46 78 49 / 0 0 0 0 Little Rock AR 75 48 80 52 / 0 0 0 0 Monticello AR 74 48 81 52 / 0 0 0 0 Mount Ida AR 76 45 78 49 / 0 0 0 0 Mountain Home AR 73 44 79 50 / 0 0 0 0 Newport AR 72 48 78 52 / 0 0 0 0 Pine Bluff AR 74 47 80 51 / 0 0 0 0 Russellville AR 75 45 80 49 / 0 0 0 0 Searcy AR 74 45 79 49 / 0 0 0 0 Stuttgart AR 72 49 79 53 / 0 0 0 0

LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.