After temperatures soared into the 60s and 70s at the end of January, below-normal temperatures will increase chances for snow in the first two weeks of February, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Little Rock said Wednesday.
While high temperatures normally hover in the high 40s and low 50s during February, pressure in the north will push colder air from Canada to the South, causing colder temperatures in the 20s and 30s and increasing the likelihood of winter storms, meteorologist Brian Smith said. However, cold air from Canada will not be prolonged, and periodic bursts of mild air will cause warmer temperatures in the later part of the month, he said.
While 40 percent of the state's snowfall total occurs in January, 30 percent falls in February, according to a National Weather Service report. It typically snows about 1.5 inches in February, but at least 5 inches has been recorded in four of the past six years.
Wetter conditions in the South could coincide with a shot of cold air, increasing the likelihood of heavy snowfall, Smith said.