Arkansas Battles Historic Winter Storm With Widespread Power Outages and Dangerous Roads

State of Emergency Declared as Winter Storm Fern Hits Arkansas

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency on Thursday in advance of the forecast winter storm , mobilizing resources across the state as Winter Storm Fern brought dangerous conditions to the region. Sanders declared a state of emergency Thursday and directed $250,000 to support response and recovery efforts , while Arkansas National Guard members deployed by Sanders include 140 who will staff 28 winter weather response teams to assist Arkansas State Police to transport stranded motorists to safe areas until road conditions improve .

The storm, which is set to start Friday evening and last until Sunday, will impact a majority of Arkansas in some form or fashion . In Little Rock, some southern areas in the city reported getting around 3 inches of snow with areas closer to North Little Rock and Sherwood reporting 5 to 6 inches of snow , demonstrating the varied impact across different regions.

Power Outages Surge as Ice Accumulates

The storm's most devastating impact has been widespread power outages affecting thousands of Arkansas residents. According to poweroutages.us, there were roughly 5,900 outages in Arkansas as of 7 a.m., mostly in south Arkansas . The situation intensified throughout the day, with approximately 19,046 customers without power, with this event peaking at 25,307 customers out earlier this afternoon according to SWEPCO updates.

Where significant ice accumulates from freezing rain, with gusty winds, expect downed trees and power lines. Numerous power outages are possible in south and southeast Arkansas . Due to the significant icing event, trees and limbs, sometimes entire trees, have fallen from outside our rights-of-way into lines and equipment , creating dangerous conditions for both residents and repair crews.

Utility companies had prepared extensively for the storm. Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas, said in an interview the utility has more than 3,500 employees across the state ready to respond , while crews work around the clock to restore service despite treacherous conditions.

Transportation Chaos and Road Closures

Roads will still be snow or ice-covered on Saturday and into Sunday. Many roads may remain unpassable through Monday as temperatures are predicted to stay below freezing from Friday evening through Tuesday afternoon . The extended duration of freezing temperatures means recovery will be slow, with Arkansas State Police issued a statement on Wednesday evening asking drivers to avoid travel in the coming weekend due to the storm's predicted impact on roads .

Little Rock Public Works Department personnel began a 24-hour operation Friday morning, Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said during a briefing Friday morning at City Hall. Trucks were pre-treating a network of nine major thoroughfares in the city and will clear the snow and sleet as it arrives . Despite these preparations, "Dangerous to near impossible travel conditions are expected areawide, with impacts likely to continue into next week given the forecasted snow and sleet amounts," according to the National Weather Service office in Tulsa .

Long-Term Recovery and Community Response

The storm's impact extends well beyond the immediate weather event. Temperatures through the weekend will be in the teens and 20s. Combine those numbers with winds of 15 to 25 mph, and you have dangerously cold conditions . She also set up HelpArkansas.com to help Arkansans impacted by the storm find food assistance information, locate warming centers and shelters, check traffic and road conditions, report and track power outages and prepare for the inclement weather .

The state's response demonstrates the severity of this weather event, with 168 troops in Arkansas activated as part of the broader regional emergency response. As Arkansas continues to battle the ongoing effects of Winter Storm Fern, residents face several more days of dangerous conditions before temperatures rise above freezing and normal operations can resume.