Winter Weather, Polk
- When
- January 22, 4:11 AM CST to January 23, 9:48 AM CST
- Where
- Polk forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
An estimated half inch of snow was reported.
Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 22 to 24, 2020
But all was not well in the higher elevations of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains of the north and west. A balloon launch from North Little Rock (Pulaski County) at 600 pm CST on the 22nd showed a layer of subfreezing air not far above the ground and extending to around 3000 feet.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 25
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS LZK wrote it up.
But all was not well in the higher elevations of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains of the north and west. A balloon launch from North Little Rock (Pulaski County) at 600 pm CST on the 22nd showed a layer of subfreezing air not far above the ground and extending to around 3000 feet.
An inversion (rising temperatures) existed farther aloft at 4000 and 5000 feet. Snow and sleet that fell through this layer tended to melt, and then froze in the subfreezing layer.
During the evening of the 22nd, an ice storm was in progress. Photos showed some buildup on branches near Mountain Home (Baxter County). A check of temperatures at a few mountain locations at 400 am CST on the 23rd revealed a reading of 29 degrees at Jasper (Newton County), and 31 degrees at Alco (Stone County) and Compton (Newton County).
In the end, more than a half inch of ice accrued on exposed objects in places such as Botkinburg (Van Buren County), Deer (Newton County), Moreland (Pope County), Mount Magazine (Logan County), Ozone (Johnson County), and Witts Spring (Searcy County). Ice was the most significant at elevations above 1500 feet. The weight of the ice downed numerous trees and caused hundreds of power outages.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
14 winter weather, 11 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Weather, Scott
- When
- January 22, 4:11 AM CST to January 23, 9:48 AM CST
- Where
- Scott forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
The observer reported 0.3 inches of primarily sleet.
Winter Weather, Polk
- When
- January 22, 4:11 AM CST to January 23, 9:30 AM CST
- Where
- Polk forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
The observer reported 0.8 inches of primarily sleet in Bogg Springs.
Winter Weather, Scott
- When
- January 22, 4:11 AM CST to January 23, 9:48 AM CST
- Where
- Scott forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
The observer measured 0.3 inches of mainly sleet with snow mixed in.
Ice Storm, Johnson
- When
- January 22, 5:00 AM CST to January 23, 11:22 AM CST
- Where
- Johnson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Ice acrruals of 0.75 inches were measured in areas at or above 1800 feet in elevation. This was in Ozone.
Ice Storm, Johnson
- When
- January 22, 5:00 AM CST to January 23, 11:54 AM CST
- Where
- Johnson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
The person measured three quarters of an inch of ice accrual on most surfaces. Three miles south southeast of Yale is approximately 1900 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Logan
- When
- January 22, 5:12 AM CST to January 23, 11:10 AM CST
- Where
- Logan forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
The person estimated three quarters of an inch of ice accrual on most surfaces. Mt. Magazine is at 2500 to 2600 feet in elevation.
Winter Weather, Logan
- When
- January 22, 5:12 AM CST to January 23, 11:10 AM CST
- Where
- Logan forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
The observer reported 0.3 inches of snow and sleet.
Winter Weather, Montgomery
- When
- January 22, 5:29 AM CST to January 23, 10:12 AM CST
- Where
- Montgomery forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
The observer estimated 0.2 inches of primarily sleet.
Winter Weather, Montgomery
- When
- January 22, 5:29 AM CST to January 23, 10:12 AM CST
- Where
- Montgomery forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
An estimated 0.3 inches of primarily sleet was reported.
Winter Weather, Pike
- When
- January 22, 5:29 AM CST to January 23, 9:18 AM CST
- Where
- Pike forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 34.164, -93.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The observer estimated 0.3 inches of primarily sleet.
Ice Storm, Van Buren
- When
- January 22, 6:00 AM CST to January 23, 12:45 PM CST
- Where
- Van Buren forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
The person measured one half inch of ice accrual on elevated surfaces. Botkinburg is 1400 to 1500 feet in elevation.
Winter Weather, Conway
- When
- January 22, 6:00 AM CST to January 23, 12:45 PM CST
- Where
- Conway forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
- Coordinates
- 35.262, -92.701 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
An estimated one tenth of an inch of freezing rain fell at Petit Jean Mountain.
Winter Weather, Conway
- When
- January 22, 6:00 AM CST to January 23, 12:45 PM CST
- Where
- Conway forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
- Coordinates
- 35.262, -92.701 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The person estimated one quarter inch of ice accrual on elevated surfaces. One mile east southeast of Marshall is approximately 1500 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Van Buren
- When
- January 22, 6:00 AM CST to January 23, 12:45 PM CST
- Where
- Van Buren forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
The person estimated ice accrual of three quarters of an inch on elevated surfaces. Chimes is approximately 1800 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Yell
- When
- January 22, 6:05 AM CST to January 23, 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Yell forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
The person estimated one half inch of ice accrual on elevated surfaces. Mt. Nebo State Park is approximately 1700 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Pope
- When
- January 22, 6:22 AM CST to January 23, 12:30 PM CST
- Where
- Pope forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
A person measured one half inch of ice accrual on elevated surfaces. The location 3 miles northwest of Moreland is at approximately 1100 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Newton
- When
- January 22, 6:30 AM CST to January 23, 11:54 AM CST
- Where
- Newton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
The person estimated one half inch of ice accrual on nearly all surfaces. One mile south southeast of Deer is approximately 2300 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Newton
- When
- January 22, 6:30 AM CST to January 23, 11:54 AM CST
- Where
- Newton forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
Observer estimated one quarter inch of ice accrual on elevated surfaces. One mile north northwest of Compton is approximately 2100 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Searcy
- When
- January 22, 7:00 AM CST to January 23, 12:30 PM CST
- Where
- Searcy forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
The observer estimated one half inch of ice accrual on elevated surfaces. Witts Spring is approximately 1900 feet in elevation.
Ice Storm, Pope
- When
- January 22, 7:22 AM CST to January 23, 12:30 PM CST
- Where
- Pope forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
The person estimated three quarters to one inch of ice accrual on elevated surfaces. Three miles southeast of Bayou Bluff Campground is approximately 2000 feet in elevation.
Winter Weather, Pope
- When
- January 22, 7:22 AM CST to January 23, 12:30 PM CST
- Where
- Pope forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
The observer estimated 0.1 inches of primarily sleet.
Winter Weather, Pope
- When
- January 22, 7:22 AM CST to January 23, 12:30 PM CST
- Where
- Pope forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
An estimated 0.2 inches of mainly sleet was reported.
Winter Weather, Van Buren
- When
- January 22, 8:43 AM CST to January 23, 12:45 PM CST
- Where
- Van Buren forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
The spotter reported 0.20 inches of ice on elevated surfaces. The location 3 west of Rocky Hill is approximately 1600 feet in elevation.
Winter Weather, Newton
- When
- January 24, 3:00 AM CST to 9:51 AM CST
- Where
- Newton forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
The observer measured 1.5 inches of snow and light snow was still falling at the time of observation.
What these are
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Ice Storm
- Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Weather in Michigan, January 22 to 23, 2020
- Ice Storm in Arkansas, January 22 to 23, 2020
- Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 22, 2020
- Winter Weather in Texas, January 22, 2020
- High Wind in Wyoming, January 22, 2020
- Marine High Wind in Lake Superior, January 22, 2020
- Winter Weather in Nebraska, January 22, 2020
- Winter Weather in Oklahoma, January 22, 2020
- Dense Fog in California, January 22, 2020
- Heavy Rain in American Samoa, January 22 to 23, 2020
More
Every storm in Arkansas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, January 2020
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 873949, 873952, 873957, 873968, 873905, 873931, 873935, 873953, 873955, 873964, 873979, 873914, 873921, 873925, 873939, 873938, 873912, 873915, 873919, 873916, 873936, 873961, 873965, 873908, 873946.