textproduct: Little Rock

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1230 AM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

- An Extreme Cold Warning with sub-zero wind chills lingering into Tuesday morning.

- Hazardous travel conditions are expected to continue through at least the beginning portions of this week, especially on less traveled roads, as multiple thaw and freeze cycles will unfold, resulting in slippery morning road conditions.

- Below normal temperatures continuing, with another round of very cold temperatures possible this weekend.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1230 AM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

Much quieter weather conditions encompass the region, as most portions of Arkansas are under clear skies. Weak southwesterly flow has settled in, so this marks the onset of warming conditions as the Arctic airmass begins to lift north and east of Arkansas. However, very cold wind chills bottoming out in the -10 to -15 degree range overnight tonight prolongs the Extreme Cold Warning through Tuesday morning.

The overall mid-level pattern through the rest of the week will remain zonal for the most part, but a couple of shortwave troughs will bring a couple rounds of cloudy skies and maybe even some low-end wintry precipitation chances Thursday into Friday. A well defined 850 mb to surface Colorado low develops with this second shortwave, advecting just enough moisture into the region to bring those precipitation chances. However, some uncertainties on how strong this low becomes and how quickly it moves eastward would affect trends upwards or downwards for precipitation chances and amounts for the Thursday to Friday timeframe.

Behind this low will usher in the next round of Arctic air for this weekend. Very cold overnight temperatures in the single digits are anticipated as early as Friday night, with much below normal temperatures persisting through most of the weekend the weekend.

Once this Arctic airmass begins to slide east of the state going into next week, much warmer temperatures are anticipated as mid- level ridging build in from the west. The main uncertainty at this point will be how quickly the trough and the colder air in place will get dislodged, but definitely will be warming going into next week.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 506 PM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

VFR ceilings will prevail through the forecast period. Light northerly winds will veer to the south, then southwest with some breezy conditions across all TAFs as a weak surface trough pushes through the state Tuesday morning. In additional to the morning breezy conditions, LLWS 020/25045KT across northern TAFs around 03z and 020/25045kt across central and southern TAF sites until 15z as the weak surface trough exits the state by early Tuesday evening.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Batesville AR 23 11 36 16 / 0 0 0 0 Camden AR 33 11 41 19 / 0 0 0 0 Harrison AR 24 12 35 14 / 0 0 0 0 Hot Springs AR 31 11 39 18 / 0 0 0 0 Little Rock AR 26 9 36 18 / 0 0 0 0 Monticello AR 29 16 43 24 / 0 0 0 0 Mount Ida AR 31 10 42 17 / 0 0 0 0 Mountain Home AR 24 9 36 12 / 0 0 0 0 Newport AR 22 8 32 15 / 0 0 0 0 Pine Bluff AR 26 10 38 19 / 0 0 0 0 Russellville AR 31 6 34 17 / 0 0 0 0 Searcy AR 27 4 33 15 / 0 0 0 0 Stuttgart AR 27 9 33 17 / 0 0 0 0

LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Extreme Cold Warning until noon CST Tuesday for ARZ004>008- 014>017-024-025-031>034-039-042>047-052>057-062>069-103-112-113- 121>123-130-137-138-140-141-203-212-213-221>223-230-237-238-240- 241-313-340-341.