Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 6 to 11, 2021

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 6 to 11, 2021
Start: 2021-01-06T16:24
End: 2021-01-11T13:47
Location: Arkansas

January 6 to 11, 2021 · NWS LZK · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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.

Another round of wintry weather returned to northern and western Arkansas early in January, 6th and 7th, as a new storm system approached the state from the Southern Plains. Again, snow was confined to the higher terrain of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. The greatest snow totals observed were generally found above 2000 feet in elevation. By January 10th and 11th, a quick moving system passed south of Arkansas spreading moisture into extreme southern portions of the state. As the precipitation fell through cold air, snow up to a few inches was the result.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Little Rock, AR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 6, 2:32 PM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 6, 2:32 PM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
232 PM CST Wed Jan 6 2021

.SHORT TERM...Today Through Friday

A strengthening storm system will continue moving across the
southern Plains through late Thursday. Precipitation started to
enter the western portions of the state early Wednesday and will
expand over the rest of the state through the day. The low will
track ESE, keeping south of the state, with easterly wind becoming
more northerly as the system moves through. With drier, northerly
air being pulled into the state on the north and northwest side of
the low, precipitation will be cut off from north and northwest AR
starting mid morning Thursday with precipitation ending across the
rest of the state by late Thursday.

Highs Wed will be in the lower 40s to the mid 50s. Surface
temperatures by Thursday morning will reach freezing, or just below,
for parts of western, northwest, and north-central AR, allowing
mainly the higher elevated parts of AR to accumulate snow. Snowfall
is likely for the northwest half of the state Wednesday night
through Thursday morning, but accumulations will be confined to
those higher elevations where subfreezing temperatures are more
likely to last for several hours (the Ozarks and the Ouachitas).

Forecast snow amounts will be highest in the Ozarks, with 3 to 5
inches likely and possibly more than 6 inches for elevations above
2,000 ft. The highest snow amounts in western AR look to be isolated
amounts between 2 and 4 inches, likely confined to the peaks of Mt
Magazine and the Ouachitas, with less than half an inch below
elevations lower than 1,000 ft.

Rainfall amounts will be highest over western, west-central, to
southwest AR, with between 1 to 3 inches between Wednesday and late
Thursday. The NE quarter of the state is forecast to receive between
a tenth to one-half an inch of rain in that time, with between one-
half to just over 1 inch of rain expected elsewhere in the state.

Highs Thurs will be in the upper 30s to mid 40s across AR.
Precipitation will come to an end as the system exits the eastern
part of the state late Thursday. Thursday night lows will be in the
mid 20s in N AR to the mid 30s in S AR. Highs Fri will be in the
upper 30s to lower 40s in N AR and in the lower to upper 40s
elsewhere in the state.

&&

.LONG TERM...Friday Night Through Wednesday

Big area of Canadian high pressure will build behind the departing
storm system covered in the short term. This will result in mostly
dry conditions in the extended period, with below average
temperatures.

A storm system will go by to the south late in the weekend and early
next week. Some moisture may make it into southern Arkansas, so have
small chances for rain or light snow. More significant moisture will
surround the system toward the Gulf Coast.

As the period comes to a close, the aforementioned high will slide
to the south. Return flow will bring some warming, and more seasonal
temperatures by Tuesday/Wednesday.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Batesville AR     35  38  29  41 /  70  50  30   0
Camden AR         40  43  34  47 /  90  50  10   0
Harrison AR       33  38  26  37 /  70  40  10   0
Hot Springs AR    37  41  32  44 /  90  50  10   0
Little Rock   AR  37  40  32  42 /  80  50  20   0
Monticello AR     41  43  34  42 /  90  70  20   0
Mount Ida AR      37  42  31  45 /  90  50  10   0
Mountain Home AR  34  38  27  38 /  70  40  20   0
Newport AR        35  38  30  40 /  50  50  30   0
Pine Bluff AR     39  41  34  42 /  80  60  20   0
Russellville AR   36  42  31  43 /  80  50  10   0
Searcy AR         35  39  30  41 /  80  50  20   0
Stuttgart AR      38  41  33  42 /  80  60  30   0
&&

.LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM CST
Thursday FOR Baxter-Johnson-Marion-Pope-Stone-Van Buren.

Winter Storm Warning from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM CST Thursday
FOR Boone-Newton-Searcy.

&&

Short Term...231 / Long Term...46

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 6, 2:21 PM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
221 PM CST Wed Jan 6 2021

ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-071100-
Boone-Marion-Baxter-Fulton-Sharp-Randolph-Newton-Searcy-Stone-
Izard-Independence-Lawrence-Johnson-Pope-Van Buren-Cleburne-
Jackson-Logan-Conway-Faulkner-White-Woodruff-Scott-Yell-Perry-
Polk-Montgomery-Garland-Saline-Pulaski-Lonoke-Prairie-Monroe-Pike-
Clark-Hot Spring-Grant-Jefferson-Arkansas-Dallas-Cleveland-
Lincoln-Desha-Ouachita-Calhoun-Bradley-Drew-
221 PM CST Wed Jan 6 2021

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight

Rain has moved into western and central Arkansas at this time and
is expected to move eastward through this evening.

Tonight, rain is expected to transition over to snow across the
higher terrain of the Ozark/Boston Mountains. Here, several inches
of snowfall will be possible across this area, otherwise a cold
rain is expected elsewhere. This may lead to scattered travel
concerns.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday Through Tuesday

Precipitation will continue into Thursday as the system moves
across the state. At higher elevations...snowfall will continue to be
possible. Expect total snowfall accumulations of 3 to 5 inches
across northwest portions of the the area...with locally greater
amounts in the higher terrain...where snowfall accumulations may
reach 6 inches. This snowfall is expected starting late Wednesday
afternoon...persisting overnight into the day on Thursday.

Again...most of the snowfall should be confined to the higher
terrain areas where temperatures will be much closer to freezing.
Snowfall will also be possible across the highest terrain of the
Ouachita's but coverage will be isolated to mountain peaks.

Elsewhere...mainly rainfall is expected...with localized
water issues possible over portions of the area due to nearly-
saturated soils.

Another storm system will move across the region late this weekend
into early next week. However...uncertainty is very high at this
time. Please monitor for forecast updates over the coming days.

.Spotter Information Statement...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

&&

Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk.

Condry

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 winter weather, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Newton

When: January 6, 4:24 PM CST to January 7, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Newton forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media

Seven inches of snow was measured on Mount Judea and 7.0 inches of snow was estimated at Lurton.

Winter Weather, Pope

When: January 6, 4:30 PM CST to January 7, 11:13 AM CST
Where: Pope forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media

An estimated 5.0 inches of snow was observed at Tilly.

Winter Storm, Searcy

When: January 6, 4:41 PM CST to January 7, 4:21 PM CST
Where: Searcy forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

The CO-OP observer at Witts Springs measured 6.5 inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Johnson

When: January 6, 4:47 PM CST to January 7, 10:10 AM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

The CO-OP observer in Ozone measured 3.0 inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Van Buren

When: January 6, 5:53 PM CST to January 7, 5:33 PM CST
Where: Van Buren forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media

An estimated 4.0 inches of snow was observed 5 WNW Dennard at an elevation of 1700 feet.

Winter Weather, Scott

When: January 6, 10:36 PM CST to January 7, 10:10 AM CST
Where: Scott forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

The CO-OP observer in Waldron measured 0.5 inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Logan

When: January 6, 10:42 PM CST to January 7, 11:29 AM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Park staff at Mount Magazine State Park estimated 4.0 inches of snow had fallen.

Winter Weather, Polk

When: January 6, 11:24 PM CST to January 7, 6:07 AM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Park staff at Queen Wilhelmina State Park estimated 3.0 inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Montgomery

When: January 7, 5:00 AM CST to 10:31 AM CST
Where: Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

The CO-OP observer at 4 S of Mount Ida estimated 2.0 inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Clark

When: January 10, 2:46 PM CST to January 11, 9:34 AM CST
Where: Clark forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.051, -93.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement estimated up to 0.3 inches of snow at Whelen Springs.

Winter Weather, Calhoun

When: January 10, 5:03 PM CST to January 11, 10:42 AM CST
Where: Calhoun forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 33.558, -92.503 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 3.0 inches of snow was observed Hampton.

Winter Weather, Bradley

When: January 10, 5:03 PM CST to January 11, 11:32 AM CST
Where: Bradley forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 33.466, -92.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 2.0 inches of snow was observed in Warren.

Winter Weather, Ouachita

When: January 10, 5:10 PM CST to January 11, 10:03 AM CST
Where: Ouachita forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.593, -92.882 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement estimated 0.3 inches of snow in Camden.

Winter Weather, Desha

When: January 10, 6:06 PM CST to January 11, 1:47 PM CST
Where: Desha forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 33.833, -91.254 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 2.0 inches of snow was observed in McGehee.

Winter Weather, Yell

When: January 10, 6:25 PM CST to January 11, 11:03 AM CST
Where: Yell forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media

An estimated 0.8 inches of snow was observed near Centerville.

Winter Weather, Drew

When: January 10, 7:44 PM CST to January 11, 9:05 AM CST
Where: Drew forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 33.589, -91.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The CoCORaHS observer 2 WNW Monticello measured 3.0 inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Lincoln

When: January 10, 8:04 PM CST to January 11, 12:39 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.958, -91.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The CO-OP observer 2 NNE Calhoun measured 1 inch of snow near Cane Creek State Park.

Winter Weather, Cleveland

When: January 10, 8:04 PM CST to January 11, 11:42 AM CST
Where: Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 33.898, -92.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 2.0 inches of snow was observed at Pansy.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2021 Every state in 2021 This day in weather history Warnings in Arkansas, January 2021

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 934203, 934207, 934196, 934202, 934206, 934188, 934199, 934210, 934186, 934220, 934215, 934228, 934217, 934214, 934218, 934226, 934222, 934223.