Correction:Andrew Pratt of Cabot was killed Sunday when the vehicle in which he was a passenger, driven by Rebecca Miller of Columbia, Mo., collided with another vehicle on sleet-covered U.S. 167 in White County. This article incorrectly said Pratt was driving.
As Monday’s clear skies and sunshine melted off ice and snow from the day before, meteorologists looked ahead at three more wintry systems, including one that’s forecast to bring freezing rain and sleet to northern Arkansas today.
Forecasters say the system will enter Northwest Arkansas early this morning, and most of the state will see some form of precipitation.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Hood of North Little Rock said north-central Arkansas could receive up to a quarter of an inch of ice because temperatures won’t climb above freezing during the day. Farther south, residents may see light freezing rain in the morning before it turns to rain.
The system comes on the heels of a storm that dumped up to 6 inches of snow in Northwest Arkansas and glazed highways with ice farther east on Sunday.
Two people died in weather-related accidents Sunday, state police said.
Authorities said Thomas Seay, 89, of Harriet died Sunday afternoon, when he lost control of his vehicle on the snow-covered Arkansas 14 bridge over the Buffalo River in Marion County.
A vehicle driven by Andrew Pratt, 23, of Cabot slid across the centerline of U.S. 167 and struck another vehicle about 8 miles north of Bald Knob on Sunday afternoon. Pratt was killed in the accident. An Arkansas State Police report indicated the road was covered with sleet.
“We’re getting tired of the snow,” said Bill Gilbreath, the superintendent of Hardy Public Works. “We’re ready for spring.”
The Sharp County town saw 6 inches of snow Sunday. Roads were mostly clear by Monday afternoon, but Gilbreath said he was concerned the thawed moisture would refreeze overnight, making roads treacherous.
State Highway and Transportation Department crews treated roads Sunday and were out again Monday evening in preparation of today’s inclement weather.
“We had them out doing it Sunday, and we’re going to repeat tonight and tomorrow,” said Walter McMillan, the Highway Departments’s District 10 engineer in Paragould.
He said crews spread salt on roads, but because temperatures quickly dropped below freezing Sunday afternoon, the salt was not effective. However, as motorists drove to work Monday and the sunshine began melting the ice covered roads, the salt worked, McMillan said.
“We’re seeing a lot of the ice break up,” he said. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and it won’t be as bad this time.”
Maynard city assistant Linda Davis said heavy snow and ice fell on the Randolph County town, and roads were impassible Monday morning.
“I had to get a ride in to work today,” she said. “When I go home, I’ll see how my road is.”
She said most people stayed off roads Sunday, and there were very few accidents.
“People are being pretty sensible,” she said. “We’re finally getting some experience driving in snow this year.”
Motorists stayed off the roads in Rogers on Sunday and Monday, said Bryan Hinds, deputy chief of the Rogers Fire Department.
“We didn’t have any significant accidents in the area,” he said. “We got lucky. It was a Sunday and people didn’t have to get out, and the Super Bowl was on.”
Chuck Woods, the public safety director for Lincoln in Washington County, said road crews plan to spend most of Monday evening preparing for more ice. The town received 6 inches of snow; at times, the snow came down heavily, Woods said.
“It came in bands,” he said. “It would snow heavily, and then there’d be light flakes. And then, boom, more heavy stuff.”
The snow and ice forced the closures of dozens of schools. Arkansas State University closed its Jonesboro and Newport campuses Monday because of weather. The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville opened late and planned for a delayed start again today.
Arkansas Forestry Commission teams took advantage of the clear skies Monday to search for a commission pilot who was reported missing Friday afternoon. Crews searched the Ouachita National Forest in western Arkansas on Monday in search of Jake Harrell, who disappeared Friday while flying a small aircraft and searching for potential wildfires, said commission spokesman Adriane Barnes.
The wintry weather did reduce the potential for wildfires. On Monday, only 15Arkansas counties remained under burn bans - down from the 51 counties that prohibited burning debris and brush on Friday. Burn bans are issued when the combination of low humidity and high winds create conditions that could cause fires to get out of hand.
Forecasters say there’s a good chance of two more rounds of ice and snow this week. Snow and ice is expected for northern Arkansas on Thursday and again Saturday and Sunday.
Arkansans have seen the repetitive pattern of cold, arctic air blasting into the state already this year, but it’s been dry. This time, however, moisture from the southwest brings the potential for snow and ice, Hood said.
“The cold air is in place, and we’re getting more moisture pulled in,” Hood said. “We’re going to see some liquid falling [today], and it’s going to be problematic.”
Front Section, Pages 1 on 02/04/2014