textproduct: Little Rock

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1250 AM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

-Much cooler temperatures expected to continue this weekend, including possible patchy frost conditions in the higher elevations of portions of northern Arkansas Sunday morning.

-Warming trend back to above normal levels are possible by the end of the work week and possibly longer.

-No significant rainfall is expected for the next week or so with drought conditions continuing to worsen.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1250 AM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

Satellite early this morning shows clear skies over the Natural state with light and variable winds. Temperatures early this morning are in the upper 40s to lower 50s across the state. Lows this morning will bottom out in the upper 30s across parts of northern Arkansas with lower to mid 30s not out of the question across higher elevations. A Frost Advisory has been issued for Fulton, Izard, and Sharp counties from 4 am through 8 am . For the southern two thirds of Arkansas, temperatures will bottom out in the lower 40s around sunrise early this morning.

As we head into next week, both ensemble and deterministic model data shows high pressure remains in control of the weather across the state. Winds will veer from the north/northeast to east/ southeast by Monday afternoon. Light winds will persist through the entire work week and possibly longer. This will allow for warmer air to be pulled north back into the state. Temperatures early part the work week will be as much as 3 to 5 degrees above normal, then 10 to 15 degrees above normal for afternoon highs for the latter part of the work week into early next weekend.

Little to no rainfall is in the forecast within Arkansas over the next 5 to 7 days and possibly longer. This will lead to worsening drought conditions across the state.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 546 AM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through the forecast period. Light winds will persist through the period, out of the north/northeast this morning,then veering to the east around midday and persisting through the rest of Sunday. By early morning, winds will veer to the south and southeast but remain light. Some mid and upper level cloudiness is expected will stream across the state from the central and southern Plains this afternoon through early Monday.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Batesville AR 70 43 73 43 / 0 0 0 0 Camden AR 75 43 79 42 / 0 0 0 0 Harrison AR 68 42 72 45 / 0 0 0 0 Hot Springs AR 73 45 77 46 / 0 0 0 0 Little Rock AR 72 45 76 46 / 0 0 0 0 Monticello AR 74 47 77 46 / 0 0 0 0 Mount Ida AR 73 43 76 44 / 0 0 0 0 Mountain Home AR 67 42 72 44 / 0 0 0 0 Newport AR 71 42 74 43 / 0 0 0 0 Pine Bluff AR 74 43 78 42 / 0 0 0 0 Russellville AR 71 44 75 46 / 0 0 0 0 Searcy AR 71 42 75 43 / 0 0 0 0 Stuttgart AR 74 45 77 44 / 0 0 0 0

LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Frost Advisory until 8 AM CDT this morning for ARZ006-007-015.