Nearly all of Arkansas is experiencing some form of drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday.
The monitor, which reflects conditions through Tuesday morning, shows that 38.22 percent of the state is under an extreme drought, up from 10.7 percent a week ago.
An exceptional drought, the most intense drought on the monitor’s scale, covers 3.59 percent of the state. That’s about double from 1.78 percent a week earlier.
The monitor defines conditions starting with abnormally dry and continuing with moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought. Nearly 96 percent of the state is under one of those conditions with only a small swath of western Arkansas experiencing no drought conditions.
Widespread rain could bring slight relief this weekend, but won't extinguish the state's drought, according to the National Weather Service.
A cold front will reach the state from the west and gulf moisture will help fuel rainfall in the state, according to the agency.
"The highest amount will be in western Arkansas, near the Ouachita mountains," said Brian Smith, a senior forecaster with the agency's North Little Rock office.
"It would make some sort of dent" in relieving dry conditions, he said, adding that about 2-4 inches of rainfall is expected.
On Friday in Little Rock, which is under a severe and in some areas an extreme drought, showers and possibly thunderstorms are forecast after 1 p.m., and could continue into Sunday afternoon.