Road conditions remained treacherous in places Tuesday, a day after an arctic front blanketed the state in a wintry mix of snow and sleet, freezing roadways and knocking out power to thousands.
Icy spots remained even as temperatures surpassed the freezing mark and the sun emerged in parts of Arkansas, helping thaw sleet and slush that remained on roads after Monday's storm.
The Arkansas Department of Highway and Transportation at 2 p.m. reported ice or ice patches on major highways in central Arkansas, including Little Rock, and many areas north and northeast. Ice and snow was also reported on some Northwest Arkansas routes.
Traffic was moving smoothly Tuesday afternoon on Little Rock's interstates, though serious delays were reported on Interstate 40 between Little Rock and Lonoke and near Hazen. Wrecks including at least one involving a jack-knifed truck had earlier caused delays on the same highway.
The National Weather Service warned that hazardous driving conditions would continue, particularly in the northeast, where temperatures will "struggle to get above freezing."
Gradual warmth was expected elsewhere, but the entire state was below freezing Tuesday morning.
"Most roadways remain treacherous due to ice and snow cover," the weather service said. "This is especially true across the northeast quarter of the state."
Entergy Arkansas reported at 2 p.m. that nearly 7,000 customers statewide were in the dark, with more than 2,700 in Clark County, nearly 700 in Pike County and about 600 each in Drew, Dallas and Montgomery counties. That was down from a peak of more than 30,000 power failures on Monday.
Numerous schools and offices remained closed or on delayed schedules Tuesday. The biggest school districts in Northwest Arkansas and the Little Rock area remained shuttered, and state offices were opening on a two-hour delay Tuesday. Click here for the full list of closings.
The Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, where most flights were canceled Monday, said its only flight cancellations Tuesday so far were from Charlotte, N.C., and Baltimore, but to check with individual airline websites for any schedule changes.
