LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon as forecasters warn that snow, sleet, ice and strong winds could create dangerous travel conditions and prolonged power outages across much of Arkansas and the Mid-South.
According to the National Weather Service, forecasts indicate areas north of Interstate 40 could see more than 3 inches of snow and sleet, with ice accumulations up to one-quarter of an inch. Along and south of I-40, totals could exceed 2 inches of snow and sleet and/or more than a quarter inch of ice. Wind gusts could reach up to 30 mph, particularly across northeast Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel, leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.
The storm system is expected to affect portions of East Arkansas, North Mississippi, Southeast Missouri and West Tennessee. Officials warn that ice accumulation could result in extensive tree damage, power outages lasting more than a day, and travel that may become impossible, including during the Friday evening commute.
In response to the expected impacts, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, authorizing $250,000 for disaster response and recovery efforts.
Executive Order 26-03, issued Jan. 22, directs the funds to be used from the Governor’s Disaster Response and Recovery Fund at the discretion of the director of the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management. The order cites anticipated dangers to public health, safety and welfare due to severe winter weather, extreme cold and increased demand for heating fuel.
The declaration also provides temporary regulatory relief for emergency response vehicles and commercial carriers delivering essential supplies, including electricity, fuel, food and medical equipment. Those vehicles are authorized to bypass Arkansas Department of Transportation weigh stations through Feb. 23, 2026, though size and weight restrictions and permitting requirements remain in effect.
The order further allows temporary exemptions from certain federal motor carrier regulations for drivers providing emergency relief for up to 30 days, as permitted under federal law.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME – GREETINGS:
EO 26-03: DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER EXPECTED ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 23, 2026
WHEREAS: On or about January 23, 2026, severe winter weather is expected to strike Arkansas and cause dangers, hardships, and suffering throughout the state, which in turn, warrants this executive action;
WHEREAS: Adverse circumstances may come to bear upon citizens and public properties in the State of Arkansas;
WHEREAS: The weather-related damage from these storms may require the use of commercial vehicles to transport equipment necessary to restore services to the citizens of the State of Arkansas;
WHEREAS: The affected political subdivisions require supplemental assistance from the state to respond to and recover from the expected losses; and
WHEREAS: Pursuant to 49 CFR §390.23, the Governor is authorized to declare a regional emergency for the duration of emergency conditions, not to exceed thirty (30) days from the date of the initial declaration of emergency, and any motor carrier or driver operating a commercial vehicle to provide emergency relief is temporarily exempt from the regulations found in 49 CFR §§ 390 through 399 for the duration of the declared emergency. Such emergency is in response to severe winter storms, extreme low temperatures and high fuel demand resulting in difficulty in distribution of necessary heating fuel, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil in the state, and the current and anticipated effects on people and property, including the immediate risk to public health, safety, and welfare.
NOW THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Arkansas, and pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-75-101, et seq., do hereby declare a state of emergency and direct the sum of $250,000.00 to be obligated from the Governor’s Disaster Response and Recovery Fund, to be used at the discretion of the Director of the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management to defray both program and administrative costs.
FURTHERMORE, I do hereby declare that a state of emergency exists in the State of Arkansas as applied to emergency response vehicles and commercial carriers delivering essential supplies and services, such as, but not limited to, electricity, fuel, food, and medical equipment. This includes utility vehicles, bucket trucks, and electric utility supply trucks responding to the storms and related damage. These emergency response vehicles are authorized to bypass all Arkansas Department of Transportation weigh station facilities through February 23, 2026. This authorization does not include vehicles that require permits to operate on Arkansas’ roadways. This authorization does not relieve size and weight restrictions. This declaration only applies to weigh stations and to vehicles traveling in a convoy.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 22nd day of January, in the year of our Lord 2026.
ASP urges caution
The Arkansas State Police is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel during the storm and to prepare for hazardous road conditions if travel cannot be postponed.
State police advise drivers to reduce their speed, avoid sudden braking or steering, increase their following distance, and use extra caution on bridges, ramps, and intersections, which tend to freeze first. Motorists are encouraged to carry emergency supplies, including blankets, extra clothing, food, water, a flashlight, a phone charger, and basic first-aid items. They should also keep their fuel tanks at least half full.
Troopers will be positioned statewide to assist motorists. For non-emergency assistance or to report road hazards, drivers can dial *ASP (*277). Authorities emphasized that 911 should be used for emergencies.
LINK: IDriveArkansas.com
Officials continue to urge residents to closely monitor forecasts and delay or cancel travel as conditions worsen.
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