MENA — Arkansas highway officials are warning motorists to stay home as freezing rain, sleet and snow fall over parts of the state.
At mid-afternoon Christmas Day, ice was reported on portions of U.S. 71 between Greenwood and Mena, with ice patches on other roads south of Mena and around Fort Smith. The higher elevations of U.S. 270 in western Arkansas also are seeing ice, and slush is reported around Fort Smith and along Interstate 540 between Fort Smith and Fayetteville.
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for parts of northeastern Arkansas, but the weather isn't expected to worsen in that region until later Tuesday afternoon and evening.
The snow is part of a strong storm system that is also brining severe weather to the Gulf Coast.