LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arctic blast crossing the country is expected to impact travel in Arkansas Thursday as roads begin to become covered by ice and snow.

As of 2 p.m. the majority of the roads in the state show to be clear.

The exception is the northernmost counties in the upper third of the state where snow and ice patches are being reported. The worst of this shows to be in the Poinsett and Craighead County area showing ice patches on the roads to the eastern and northern borders from there.

For the central part of the state, Cleburne County shows ice patches north of Heber Springs. In the northwest, ice patches are being reported from Fayetteville and north.


As of 7 a.m. on Friday roads have started to become more manageable but ice patches are still being reported.

Temperatures sit in the low single digits and wind chill is in the negatives.

As of 10 p.m. more traveled areas of the interstate moving at a better pace, with ice patches still being reported, the biggest concern are some side streets through the Little Rock metro area

Temperatures have now dropped into the single digits, with wind still an ongoing issue.

As of 8 p.m. there are still slick roadways through central Arkansas and the Little Rock metro area, with reported ice patches along most major roadways.

Traffic patterns have also calmed with no major accidents being reported on the interstate.

Temperatures have also dropped into the teens and approaching single digits as the wind continues.

As of 6 p.m. snow has blanketed the Little Rock metro area and the rest of central Arkansas, causing many roads to turn slick coming from the west. Most major roads in Central Arkansas are starting to be covered in scattered ice patches or snow

Multiple crashes have happened in Little Rock because of the worsening road conditions.

Brutal winds are tearing through most of the state as temperatures are preparing to plummet into the 20s and 10s.

As of 4 p.m. the ice and snow continue the southeastern path across the state approaching central Arkansas in a line running from Sharp County in the north to Montgomery County in the west. Montgomery County is also the south-most line for icy roads.

Pulaski County does not show any snow or ice on its roads, but Cleburne County to the northeast shows snow and Perry County to the west has ice patches.

Drivers into Bryant on Interstate 30 are also moving cautiously in blowing snow. 

ARDOT is out treating the highways as snow falls. Temps continue to drop, now in the high 20s.

As of 2 p.m. ice and snow are moving farther east and south into the state in a line from Fulton County in the north to Polk County to the southwest. 

Snow is the primary hazard on surface roads at this time, although ice patches are being reported on highways between Polk County up to Benton County as well as Highway 65 in Van Buren County as far south as the Faulkner County line. 

Snow on the roads is now reported west and north of the Russellville-Dardanelle area. 

As of noon, the Arkansas Department of Transportation is showing on the iDriveArkansas map that roads in the west and northwest parts of the state are already being impacted, with highways in Benton, Washington and Crawford counties are far south as Interstate 40 at Fort Smith and U.S. Highway 62 into Forth Smith reporting ice patches.

Ice patches are being reported on roads south of Fort Smith, including Interstate 540.

Heading east, ARDOT is reporting snow on U.S. 412 in Carrol, Madison and Franklin counties.

In the north, State Highway 23 just west of Harrison is seeing snow, as is U.S. Highway 65 from the north Van Buren County line into Searcy County. State Highway 7 through Newton County is also showing snow.

The winter weather is expected to move farther south and east as the day continues.

The situation is expected to change throughout the day. To see the latest conditions before you hit the road, head over to our Interactive Traffic Map.