Entergy Spokesperson Matt Ramsey said the peak outages for the utility was 54,278 just before 7 p.m.
"The number will go down quickly as we have started the restoration process," he said.
While scouts are assessing the damage, Ramsey said traffic is a real problem, as trees, debris and vegetation block the roadways.
"We have both transmission and distribution damage, lots of broken power lines and some broken structures and poles," he said.
He said much of the damage in the metro Little Rock area is in neighborhoods, which require special equipment to access.
"And some damaged homes and business will need repairs by a licensed electrician to safely receive power," Ramsey said.
Over 13,000 customers are without power, according to the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas map. Lonoke County had almost 6,000 outages as of Friday just before 6:50 p.m. Cross County had over 2,400 outages.
Roughly 15,000 are without power in the North Little Rock area, and it will be for a few days before power is restored, according to North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick and North Little Rock Electric General Manager Ryan Wilson.
In addition, the police station in Sherwood was damaged, and Kiehl Avenue was blocked. Homes have been damaged there as well.
Homes were destroyed in North Little Rock near Pontiac Drive and Osage Drive, according to tornado reports published by the Storm Prediction Center.
Reports said another house was damaged in Cammack Village in Little Rock.
Preliminary reports indicate heavy structure damage to Amboy, Levy, the Indian Hills Neighborhood, and Burns Park in North Little Rock as well, according to the North Little Rock Police Department.
Emergency Response Personnel have responded to the affected areas and were currently working to assess the damage and locate injured persons, they said.
An emergency shelter has been established at the North Little Rock Community Center for those affected by today's storm. Storm victims may also bring their pets. The Community Center is at 2700 Willow St.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office said first responders are on scenes in the Rodney Parham and Jacksonville areas. They urged not stopping to survey damage and said those traveling home may have to take an alternate route.
A National Guard spokesman said the front gate of Camp Robinson was closed due to damage beyond it. Power was knocked out in his office.
Debris was reported near Interstate 430 in Little Rock and emergency officers were responding in that city as well.
Colby Pope, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in North Little Rock, said, “We got a lot of damage across western and northern parts of Little Rock as well as Sherwood and Jacksonville, and some damage south of Cabot.”
Pope also said there was Garland County damage in the vicinity of Piney and Fountain Lake.