WEST MONROE, La. — (2/11/2021) An unusually cold pattern that is currently bringing an outbreak of Arctic air to the central United States will present multiple opportunities for wintry precipitation in the ArkLaMiss over the next week.
A brief round of light freezing rain fell across southern Arkansas this morning. However, the overrunning pattern of moisture atop this very cold air mass will provide another window for light freezing rain across northern Louisiana tonight through early Friday morning. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for all of northern Louisiana. Accumulations of up to 0.1″ of ice could make travel dangerous, especially on elevated surfaces.
Temperatures will continue to slowly fall this weekend, with most locations staying in the 30s or colder all weekend. In fact, much of the region may drop below freezing on Saturday night and stay there until Wednesday afternoon. All ArkLaMiss residents should prepare for prolonged subfreezing temperatures.
A vigorous storm system looks likely to develop starting Sunday night through Monday, providing an impactful wintry mix across the entire region. Freezing rain, sleet, and snow are all likely, and accumulations could cause widespread travel concerns early next week. In terms of accumulations, computer models are still working through specifics… but, residents should prepare for a significant winter storm.
Another round of possible wintry precipitation could develop later in the week (Wednesday/Thursday); however, this scenario truly depends on how the forecast evolves to any snow or ice that could remain on the ground through early next week.
