A dramatic shift in weather conditions will begin this weekend, with rain, gusty winds, and plummeting temperatures forecast to close out the first week of 2025.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Little Rock reports that clear skies on Friday will give way to increasing clouds and cooler temperatures Saturday, with a high near 41 degrees.
Showers are predicted to begin Saturday night as temperatures drop into the mid-30s and persist into Sunday.
Sunday’s high is forecast to reach the lower 50s, accompanied by windy conditions and gusts of up to 20 mph. By Sunday night, temperatures will plunge to 21 degrees under cloudy skies, with wind gusts strengthening to 25 mph.
A low-pressure system moving across the Arkansas-Missouri border Sunday is expected to bring cold air into northern Arkansas, creating a narrow window for a wintry mix of rain and snow late Sunday afternoon into the evening. However, forecasters expect snowfall accumulations to be minimal, amounting to a few tenths of an inch.
As the system departs, an Arctic air mass will take hold Monday, keeping conditions dry and unseasonably cold through Thursday. Morning lows and afternoon highs will be 10 to 15 degrees below average for early January, with wind chill values dropping into the single digits—and possibly below zero—in northern Arkansas during the early morning hours of Monday through Wednesday.
This prolonged stretch of cold weather is expected to be the most severe in recent years, with temperatures at or below freezing for several consecutive days in the northern third of the state.
NWS forecasters are urging residents to prepare for the brutal conditions and to take precautions against frostbite and hypothermia.
Cold Weather Advisories may be issued if wind chill values trend below zero in some areas.
Northern Arkansas residents are advised to monitor updates and prioritize cold-weather safety during this period.
Have a news tip or event to promote? Email White River Now at news@whiterivernow.com. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather every weekday morning and afternoon from the First Community Bank Newsroom on Arkansas 103.3 KWOZ. White River Now updates are also aired weekday mornings on 93 KZLE, Outlaw 106.5, and Your FM 99.5.
