LITTLE ROCK — A cold front expected to blast through Arkansas overnight Wednesday and during the day today will bring the potential of heavy rains, thunderstorms and flash floods as it moves in, and freezing rain, sleet or snow as it leaves, said Chris Buonanno, the science and operations officer with the National Weather Service’s North Little Rock office.
The forecast prompted the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department to ready trucks in case roads ice up during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
Randy Ort, a spokesman for the Highway Department, cautioned drivers to be careful as they drive on Arkansas roads.
“It’s a combination of things [that could affect travel],” Ort said. “Throw in Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday shopping, a football game Saturday and then [one of the] historically busiest travel days on Sunday ... add weather to the mix and it could get a little dicey.”
No. 12 Arkansas plays No. 5 LSU on Saturday in Little Rock.
Buonanno reported that it’s a “stronger front” that will produce damaging winds, mostly in the northern and western counties of the state. He added that the potential for heavy rain and flooding could be a problem in central Arkansas, but that fronts like these are hard to predict.
On the heels of the front, Buonanno said, there would be much colder air and breezy conditions on Thanksgiving. In areas west of Pulaski County there could be a light wintery mix of freezing rain, sleet or snow.
The weather service’s online forecast said there is an 80 percent chance of rain all day today in Little Rock, and the temperature could drop to 29 degrees at night.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the weather service reports, the weather will be sunny and clear, with lows in the mid- to lower 30s at night. On Sunday evening there’s a 20 percent chance of showers in the area and a 40 percent chance Monday.
The highway department said despite the early onset of cold weather it is prepared for icy roads.
“We’re getting our dump trucks ready and have maintenance workers on-call if needed,” Ort said.
The dump trucks were having plows attached and salt and sand spreaders hooked up across the state Wednesday.
Ort said he doesn’t expect the weather will get too severe, but added that it only takes a small patch of ice to cause problems for a vehicle.
“Motorists need to be aware and cautious of that,” he said.
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 11/25/2010