textproduct: Little Rock

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 208 AM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

- An Extreme Cold Warning continues through early this week, with sub-zero wind chill values Monday and Tuesday mornings.

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

- Well below normal temperatures continuing for the next week, with another round of very cold temperatures possible this weekend

DISCUSSION

Issued at 208 AM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

Residual snow showers remain across portions of southern Arkansas, but the last remnants of the weekend winter storm will move east of the state over the next few hours. Latest satellite imagery depicts clearing skies, which is causing very cold temperatures in the single digits, with areas dipping below zero favoring northwest and north-central Arkansas this morning. Combined with some residual elevated winds would result in some wind chill values -10 to -20 degrees for central to northern Arkansas. With the Arctic airmass slow to lift to the northeast, the snowpack in place combined with mostly clear conditions tonight, continued very cold overnight temperatures/wind chills are expected as the Extreme Cold Warning will last through Tuesday morning.

Flow aloft will turn more westerly as the Arctic airmass slides eastward through the middle of the week, resulting in some warming conditions across the state near or slightly above freezing during the afternoon hours. However, the lingering impacts on sufficiently snow covered roadways (especially less traveled roads) may continue to pose travel issues as temperatures may warm enough to melt but refreeze through the middle portions of the week.

Model guidance continues to be consistent with a reinforcing Arctic trough cooling temperatures again late this week and into this weekend. Depending on how far west this trough digs will impact how cold temperatures may get again, which at this time lows back into the single digits (wind chills below zero) this weekend seems to be a reasonable expectation at this point. Conditions will remain dry as flow aloft remains out of the north as this trough amplifies across the eastern U.S. during this period. Uncertainties increase late this weekend to early next week regarding how long troughing/negative mid-level height anomalies linger across the region, which would in turn impact how quickly conditions may warm again. However, the central to eastern U.S. will remain bitter cold for the better of the next week, if not longer.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1121 AM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

Expect VFR flight category across all sites within the forecast period from Monday midday through Tuesday midday. Low level wind shear will be present at the terminals of KHRO, KBPK, KHOT, KADF, and KLIT early Tuesday morning before ending by midday on Tuesday. KBPK remains designated "AMD NOT SKED" due to a communication issue that is being troubleshot at the current time, but expect the site to remain "AMD NOT SKED" until observations return to the site.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Batesville AR 8 36 14 34 / 0 0 0 0 Camden AR 8 41 16 43 / 0 0 0 0 Harrison AR 10 35 10 39 / 0 0 0 0 Hot Springs AR 8 38 15 39 / 0 0 0 0 Little Rock AR 7 34 15 34 / 0 0 0 0 Monticello AR 12 42 21 41 / 0 0 0 0 Mount Ida AR 7 41 15 42 / 0 0 0 0 Mountain Home AR 7 36 9 37 / 0 0 0 0 Newport AR 6 31 10 29 / 0 0 0 0 Pine Bluff AR 8 38 16 35 / 0 0 0 0 Russellville AR 2 35 12 37 / 0 0 0 0 Searcy AR 2 32 11 32 / 0 0 0 0 Stuttgart AR 7 33 15 30 / 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.