After a winter storm dropped ice and snow on much of the state Thursday, higher temperatures Friday and this weekend are expected to thaw accumulations.
“Temperatures are going to keep warming through the day,”meteorologist with the National Weather Service and Little Rock Tabitha Clarke said on Friday. “A lot of melting is going on.”
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid 40s to 50s with dry conditions through Saturday. Nearly all snow and ice on the ground should be melted after this weekend, Clarke said.
Rain will make its way through the state on Sunday and Monday, Clarke said, but it’s not expected to be severe or bring hazardous driving conditions.
Earlier:
Many roads in central and northeast Arkansas remained slick Friday after a winter storm pelted most of the state with hours of sleet and snow overnight Wednesday and temperatures overnight Thursday dipped toward record lows.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department’s iDriveArkansas website showed clear highways in western Arkansas but ice or ice patches remaining in central Arkansas, including the Little Rock metropolitan area; the Hot Springs area; and northeast Arkansas, including Jonesboro and Paragould.
The National Weather Service said that though temperatures climbed well above the freezing mark Thursday, melting the snow and turning ice to water, temperatures plummeted overnight into the teens and low-20s, causing moisture to refreeze. Temperature lows Friday morning were breaking daily records in many places, the weather service said.
Meteorologist Charles Dalton said sunlight and temperatures in the 40s should clear up most of the roads Friday.
Many schools remained closed a second day, and nonessential state employees were headed to work on a two-hour delay. A full list of closings and delays is available here.
The Central Arkansas Transit Authority said bus service would start at the regular times Friday morning but run on snow routes. The only Express routes running are No. 26 Maumelle and No. 36 Jacksonville/Sherwood, CATA said. “Significant delays” of 30 minutes to one hour are expected on all routes.
Information for this article was contributed by The Associated Press.