Ten passengers were planning to stay overnight at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field in Little Rock amid winter weather for flights scheduled to depart Friday, according to Clinton National spokesman Shane Carter.
"The airport has pillows and blankets and mats as well as hygiene kits for them and any others," Carter said.
Several dozen flights had been canceled at the state's largest airport as of Thursday afternoon, but Carter said the airport has remained open throughout the weather event.
2:37 p.m.: Winter storm brings snow, sleet, power outages to parts of Arkansas; 50 flights canceled at Clinton National
The frigid precipitation that enveloped the state led to the cancellation of more than 50 flights by 11 a.m. today at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field.
The state's largest airport, however, has remained open throughout the weather event and whether a flight is canceled is a decision made by each airline, according to an email from Clinton National spokesman Shane Carter.
A United Parcel Service Boeing 757, on a cargo flight, for instance, departed at 10 a.m. without incident.
"Airlines decide when they fly," he said. "Check your flight status before coming to the airport."
Clinton National crews employing more than two dozen pieces of equipment have been applying anti-icing material on the priority runway and taxiways since 1:15 a.m. and have continued clearing surfaces and adding chemicals as needed, according to the email. Areas around the airport fire station and the air carrier ramp also have been cleared.
The priority runway, Runway 4R/22L on the east side of the airport and 8,251 feet long, is the only open runway of the three typically available at Clinton National. The other main commercial service runway, Runway 4L/22R, is closed through the summer for construction on an adjacent taxiway. It is 8,273 feet long.
A third runway, Runway 18/36, 6,224 feet long and serving primarily small general aviation aircraft on the west side of the field, is closed due to the weather.
Once the freezing precipitation ends, airport crews will continue to treat and sweep surfaces to reduce refreezing Thursday night, according to the email.
Fully a third of the airport's 150 employees have been deployed in the airfield, terminal and operations areas, according to the airport. Many are staying in nearby hotel rooms the airport reserved.
"Teams are rotating to provide breaks," Carter said in the email. "We have employees serving as food captains that are cooking meals for their coworkers throughout the day."
The weather also led Rock Region Metro, the transit service for Pulaski County, to cancel most bus service today.
"Rock Region Metro will not be operating any transit service other than emergency Metro Links paratransit dialysis trips only today," agency spokeswoman Becca Green said in an email to news organizations shortly after 5 a.m. today.
– Noel Oman
11:41 a.m. Winter storm brings snow, sleet and power outages to parts of Arkansas
Power outages are on the rise across much of Arkansas on Thursday morning as winter precipitation makes its way across the state.
Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect through Thursday night, with significant snow accumulations expected across northwest and north-central Arkansas and significant snow/sleet and ice accumulations across much of the remainder of state, particularly in central and eastern Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.
Snow flurries were reported this morning in Fayetteville, according to the weather service, with reports of light snow in Fort Smith and Harrison.
[DOCUMENT: Gov. Asa Hutchinson declares state of emergency » arkansasonline.com/23emerg/]
Central Arkansas was seeing a mix of wintry precipitation, with reports of sleet in many locations including the Little Rock Metro area. Southwest Arkansas was seeing mostly rain.
Parts of eastern Arkansas were experiencing mixed precipitation, which led to several power outages across the area.
Entergy Arkansas reported 16,151 outages across the state at about 9:45 a.m., with most occurring in eastern Arkansas. The utility's power outage map showed 3,893 customers without power in Poinsett County in northeast Arkansas. Phillips County was reporting 3,899 outages, and Arkansas County was reporting 1,947.
Only 59 outages were reported in Pulaski County, according to the utility.
Electric Cooperative of Arkansas also reported significant outages across the state, with 1,898 cooperative members without service in Lincoln County, 919 without power in Cleveland County and 790 without power in Grant County.
Check back for further updates.
Read more about winter weather in Arkansas
• Arkansas schools announce weather-related closures » arkansasonline.com/23schools/
• Submit your Arkansas snow photos to be featured in our gallery » arkansasonline.com/23pics/
• Central Arkansas restaurants close due to winter weather » arkansasonline.com/23food/
• Take our winter safety quiz » arkansasonline.com/wintersafetyquiz/