Much of Arkansas will ring in the new year today with a mixture of freezing rain, sleet and rain as a storm system from the southern Plains meets cold, dry air over the state, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
Forecasters aren't expecting accumulation of the frozen precipitation, but they warn motorists of slick roads in early morning or evening hours when temperatures dip below the freezing mark.
"People need to watch out for the typical trouble areas on roads," National Weather Service meteorologist Sean Clarke of North Little Rock said Wednesday. "Temperatures are not cold enough for anything to really stick on the ground yet. But overpasses and bridges could see some icing."
Freezing rain will begin in southwest Arkansas by midmorning today before it turns into rain.
Kenny Bennett, an Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department district maintenance engineer in Hope, said road crews pre-mixed sand and salt Wednesday evening in preparation for icy weather and would be on standby this morning to spread the mixture on roadways that were iced over.
"We've got them out by 4 a.m. to be ahead of any weather coming in," Bennett said. "We're monitoring the surfaces. I think we're going to be at the borderline of freezing. The temperature is supposed to warm up through the day.
"We just have to watch it."
As temperatures continue to rise during the day, sleet or freezing rain will change into cold rain, Clarke said.
Forecasters said central Arkansas may see up to 2 inches of rainfall today and this evening.
As the system pushes northeastward, the rain is expected to return to freezing precipitation tonight and Friday morning, when temperatures fall to 32 degrees or below.
"The best chance for any freezing rain and sleet mix is late [tonight] and Friday morning for the northern edge of the state," Clarke said.
Waylon Rocole, one of the owners of A.J.'s Oasis RecPlex and Grill in Harrison, said he wasn't pleased with tonight's forecast. The restaurant and bar plans to show the Sugar Bowl contest between Alabama and Ohio State on television tonight.
"A bad forecast will keep people home," Rocole said. "It affects business. It's just one of those things. If it's warm enough, it'll just be rain. But if it gets colder, it'll affect our entire area.
Inclement weather may help Andrew Miles, the manager of Green Cab Co. in Fayetteville.
"Any weather discourages people outside," he said. "Some people are afraid to drive in bad weather. We're not expecting too many problems, but we do expect our calls to increase."
He said his cabdrivers will stay in contact with city police to learn of road closures because of freezing precipitation.
"The city has gotten better over the years in pre-treating roads before any snow," Miles said. "They take care of the roads. We don't anticipate anything bad."
Forecasters said the state will begin warming Saturday with temperatures climbing into the upper 40s. Another cold air blast from Canada is expected next week, but Clarke said there won't be as much moisture in place, and he doesn't anticipate freezing precipitation then.
State Desk on 01/01/2015