textproduct: Little Rock

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 104 PM CDT Mon Jul 20 2026

-State wide Extreme Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories through Tuesday evening.

-Heat relief on Wednesday with passing cold front with rain chances lingering into the weekend.

-Temperatures to gradually increase back to into the weekend and beyond.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 249 AM CDT Mon Jul 20 2026

MONDAY (TODAY) and TUESDAY

Heat products will become active later this morning into the middle of the day across the Natural State and last through Tuesday evening. The entire state can expect either a Heat Advisory or Extreme Heat Warning to be in place at their location. The difference will depend on the forecasted heat index values as Extreme Heat Warnings need forecasted heat index values of 110 degrees or higher. In comparison, a Heat Advisory is for locations where heat index values are forecasted to be between 105 and 109 degrees. It's important that regardless of which heat product your location is under that heat safety be practiced over this two day stretch of oppressive high temperatures and dangerous heat index values as both products demand attention to remain safe.

In the upper lvls, a stout region of ridging overall remains in control of the overall flow pattern and weather conditions across an elongated region from over the Four Corners region of the CONUS extending eastward to over the Mid-South region of the CONUS. Arkansas, although underneath the eastern periphery of this dome of high pressure will be positioned to expect dangerous temperatures, heat index values, and limited to nil POP chances due to overall subsidence.

At the sfc, the main feature attributing to these dangerous heat values will be light, but persistent south-southwesterly winds which will advect dewpoint temperatures in the lower 70s into the state via the Gulf and keep those heat index values in dangerous territory.

WEDNESDAY through FRIDAY

In the upper lvls, a shortwave trof is progged to eject around the northeastern periphery of the ridge. In response, at the sfc, a cold front is forecast to move from north to south across Arkansas over during the day on Wednesday which will begin a period through Friday of northerly winds at the surface overall and a cooler airmass behind the frontal boundary. Additionally, POP chances will be elevated slightly on Friday into Saturday across parts of the state.

SATURDAY and SUNDAY

The upper lvl ridge is expected to re-amplify over the Southern Plains region of the CONUS to over the Lower Mississippi Valley region of the CONUS. In response, temperatures will slowly uptick each day overall. The interesting factor will be an possible weak tropical system or remnant low and interaction with the now forecast stationary boundary in Louisiana and Mississippi that will linger across the region and keep POP chances in the forecast.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 632 PM CDT Mon Jul 20 2026

Widespread VFR conditions will continue to prevail across the region. Lower chances of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon hours tomorrow, so no mention of this low potential at any terminals. Very late in the period tomorrow, there is a signal of some convective moving southward across eastern Arkansas, so will have to monitor trends and possibly introduce shower and thunderstorm potential late tomorrow afternoon and beyond.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Batesville AR 78 101 75 91 / 0 0 20 0 Camden AR 76 102 77 97 / 0 10 0 0 Harrison AR 76 100 72 89 / 0 20 10 0 Hot Springs AR 78 102 79 96 / 0 0 0 0 Little Rock AR 80 102 80 93 / 10 0 0 0 Monticello AR 78 99 79 95 / 10 20 0 0 Mount Ida AR 78 100 79 94 / 0 0 0 0 Mountain Home AR 76 99 72 88 / 10 10 10 0 Newport AR 78 102 76 90 / 0 10 20 0 Pine Bluff AR 76 99 78 93 / 0 0 0 0 Russellville AR 78 102 79 95 / 10 10 10 0 Searcy AR 77 101 77 92 / 0 0 10 0 Stuttgart AR 78 100 79 92 / 0 0 10 0

LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT Tuesday for ARZ004>006-014-015-024- 042-052>054-062-063-066>068-103-112-113-121-123-137-140-141-203- 212-213-221>223-237-240-241-313-340-341.

Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM CDT Tuesday for ARZ007-008-016- 017-025-031>034-039-043>047-055>057-064-065-069-122-130-138-230- 238.