Arkansas, 2023

Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Arkansas, January 29 to 31, 2023

January 29 to 31, 2023 · NWS LZK · 39 events in 38 counties and zones

Near the end of the month a cold, shallow Arctic airmass spread south across much of the southern United States. A stationary front was in position south of the state and an upper level storm system was located across the southwest US.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 39 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
39

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.

Near the end of the month a cold, shallow Arctic airmass spread south across much of the southern United States. A stationary front was in position south of the state and an upper level storm system was located across the southwest US. A steady stream of moisture lifted northeast across the state toward the Ohio Valley and interacted with the cold air in place at the surface. Precipitation was observed for a few days with mainly sleet falling across northern Arkansas with widespread freezing rain observed across portions of central, eastern and southern Arkansas. Southwest Arkansas remained above freezing throughout the event with little to no winter weather seen there.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 winter weather, 11 winter storm, 10 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Boone County Except Southwest

When
January 29, 5:53 PM CST to January 31, 2:59 PM CST
Where
Boone County Except Southwest forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
36.309, -93.091 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured to be 0.21 inches at the Boone County Airport ASOS and a mixture of sleet and snow accumulated to an amount of 1.8 inches near Cricket.

Winter Storm, Baxter

When
January 29, 8:53 PM CST to January 31, 3:06 PM CST
Where
Baxter forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.287, -92.337 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.06 inches at the Ozark Regional Airport ASOS and a mixture of sleet and snow was measured at 1.8 inches near Mountain Home.

Winter Weather, Randolph

When
January 29, 8:53 PM CST to January 31, 6:15 PM CST
Where
Randolph forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.342, -91.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A mixture of sleet and snow was measured at 1.0 inch in Pocahontas. Additional, 0.01 inches of freezing rain was observed in Pocahontas.

Winter Weather, Stone

When
January 29, 11:15 PM CST to January 30, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Stone forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.860, -92.157 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A mixture of sleet and snow accumulated to 1.0 inch in Mountain View. Additionally, freezing rain was measured at 0.10 of an inch ice accretion near Old Lexington.

Winter Weather, Lawrence

When
January 30, 3:56 AM CST to January 31, 6:18 PM CST
Where
Lawrence forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
36.041, -91.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.10 of an inch ice accretion and sleet snow mixture of 0.3 of an inch in Black Rock.

Winter Weather, Jackson

When
January 30, 4:56 AM CST to January 31, 6:42 PM CST
Where
Jackson forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.599, -91.215 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.1 of an inch in Newport and near Island Town.

Winter Storm, Fulton

When
January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 5:15 PM CST
Where
Fulton forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
36.382, -91.818 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.8 inches in Salem.

Winter Weather, Arkansas

When
January 30, 6:30 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Arkansas forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.291, -91.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A mixture of sleet and snow amounted to 1.0 inch in Hardy.

Winter Storm, Independence

When
January 30, 6:56 AM CST to January 31, 6:42 PM CST
Where
Independence forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.742, -91.570 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 1.3 inches in Batesville and near Balch Addition. Freezing rain was measured at 0.01 inch near Balch Addition.

Winter Storm, Cleburne

When
January 30, 7:30 AM CST to January 31, 5:56 PM CST
Where
Cleburne forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.538, -92.027 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 1.5 inches in Greers Ferry. Freezing rain was measured at 0.01 of an inch near Snell.

Winter Storm, Searcy County Lower Elevations

When
January 30, 7:30 AM CST to January 31, 4:15 PM CST
Where
Searcy County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.911, -92.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 1.2 inches in Gilbert.

Ice Storm, Southeast Van Buren County

When
January 30, 10:55 AM CST to January 31, 5:35 PM CST
Where
Southeast Van Buren County forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.581, -92.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.40 of an inch accretion near Southside. Additionally, sleet was measured at 0.3 inches near Damascus and Southside.

Winter Weather, Izard

When
January 30, 2:45 PM CST to January 31, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Izard forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
36.095, -91.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A mixture of sleet and snow accumulated to 1.0 inch near Calico Rock.

Ice Storm, Polk County Lower Elevations

When
January 30, 3:15 PM CST to January 31, 10:35 PM CST
Where
Polk County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.486, -94.228 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 of an inch ice accretion in Mena. Sleet was also measured at 0.4 of an inch in Mena.

Winter Weather, Northern Polk County Higher Elevations

When
January 30, 3:15 PM CST to January 31, 10:15 PM CST
Where
Northern Polk County Higher Elevations forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
34.486, -94.228 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.4 of an inch north of Shady Grove or southwest of Accorn.

Winter Storm, Newton County Higher Elevations

When
January 30, 3:15 PM CST to January 31, 3:00 PM CST
Where
Newton County Higher Elevations forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
35.920, -93.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.9 inches near Flatwoods.

Ice Storm, Central and Southern Scott County

When
January 30, 3:30 PM CST to January 31, 8:30 PM CST
Where
Central and Southern Scott County forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.861, -94.063 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was estimated at 0.25 of an inch ice accretion in Waldron. Additionally, sleet was measured at 0.3 of an inch in Abbott.

Winter Storm, Western and Northern Logan County

When
January 30, 3:45 PM CST to January 31, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Western and Northern Logan County forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.215, -93.716 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 1.0 inch of sleet fell in Dublin.

Winter Weather, Yell County Excluding Northwest

When
January 30, 4:00 PM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Yell County Excluding Northwest forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.003, -93.411 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.3 of an inch in Danville.

Winter Weather, Southeast Polk County Higher Elevations

When
January 30, 4:15 PM CST to January 31, 10:35 PM CST
Where
Southeast Polk County Higher Elevations forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.486, -94.228 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.05 inch ice accretion near Big Fork.

Winter Weather, Southern Johnson County

When
January 30, 4:15 PM CST to January 31, 2:00 PM CST
Where
Southern Johnson County forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.570, -93.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.5 of an inch in Clarksville.

Winter Weather, Johnson County Higher Elevations

When
January 30, 4:15 PM CST to January 31, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Johnson County Higher Elevations forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.570, -93.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.1 of an inch in Ozone.

Ice Storm, Central and Eastern Montgomery County

When
January 30, 4:30 PM CST to January 31, 11:26 PM CST
Where
Central and Eastern Montgomery County forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.539, -93.659 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 of an inch ice accretion at Pine Ridge and Silver.

Winter Storm, Pope County Higher Elevations

When
January 30, 5:30 PM CST to January 31, 12:53 PM CST
Where
Pope County Higher Elevations forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
35.448, -93.034 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 0.5 inches of sleet fell at Long Pool Campground.

Winter Weather, Southern Pope County

When
January 30, 5:53 PM CST to January 31, 5:53 PM CST
Where
Southern Pope County forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
35.448, -93.034 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 1.0 inch near Worthen. Freezing rain was measured at 0.21 of an inch at the Russellville Regional Airport ASOS.

Winter Weather, Lonoke

When
January 30, 6:01 PM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lonoke forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.754, -91.889 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.10 of an inch ice accretion in Cabot. In addition to freezing rain, sleet was measured by an NWS employee at 0.3 of an inch in Cabot.

Winter Storm, Faulkner

When
January 30, 6:15 PM CST to January 31, 2:35 PM CST
Where
Faulkner forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
35.147, -92.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.5 of an inch in Conway and Vilonia.

Winter Weather, Saline

When
January 30, 8:15 PM CST to January 31, 6:55 PM CST
Where
Saline forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.647, -92.677 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.3 of an inch near Avilla.

Ice Storm, Clark

When
January 30, 10:00 PM CST to January 31, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Clark forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.051, -93.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 of an inch ice accretion near Gurdon and Arkadelphia. Additionally, 0.5 inches of sleet was measured near Arkadelphia.

Winter Storm, Pike

When
January 30, 10:00 PM CST to January 31, 10:30 PM CST
Where
Pike forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.164, -93.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet accumulated to 1.0 inch at Antoine.

Winter Weather, Drew

When
January 31, 5:57 AM CST to 8:41 PM CST
Where
Drew forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
33.589, -91.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Monticello Municipal Airport recorded 0.18 of an inch ice accretion.

Ice Storm, Arkansas

When
January 31, 8:30 AM CST to 10:30 PM CST
Where
Arkansas forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.291, -91.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 of an inch ice accretion in Gillett and Stuttgart.

Ice Storm, Lincoln

When
January 31, 9:00 AM CST to 8:40 PM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.958, -91.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 of an inch ice accretion in Star City.

Ice Storm, Cleveland

When
January 31, 10:30 AM CST to 8:20 PM CST
Where
Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.898, -92.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 of an inch ice accretion in Rison.

Winter Weather, Dallas

When
January 31, 11:45 AM CST to 7:30 PM CST
Where
Dallas forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.970, -92.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.10 of an inch ice accretion in Fordyce.

Ice Storm, Grant

When
January 31, 11:45 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.290, -92.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 of an inch in Sheridan.

Winter Weather, Jefferson

When
January 31, 12:04 PM CST to 8:39 PM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
34.269, -91.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sleet was measured at 0.3 of an inch near White Hall. Additionally, freezing rain of 0.10 of an inch ice accretion was measured at the Pine Bluff Regional Airport and near White Hall.

Winter Weather, Garland

When
January 31, 12:32 PM CST to 5:53 PM CST
Where
Garland forecast zone
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
34.577, -93.150 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was estimated at 0.05 of an inch ice accretion at the Hot Springs National Park.

Ice Storm, Pulaski

When
January 31, 6:50 PM CST to 10:10 PM CST
Where
Pulaski forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
34.770, -92.312 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain was measured at 0.25 inch ice accretion at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in North Little Rock. In addition to freezing rain, sleet was measured at 0.4 of an inch at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in North Little Rock.

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.
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

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, January 2023

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: 1078309, 1078310, 1078311, 1078437, 1078312, 1078313, 1078425, 1078428, 1078314, 1078327, 1079323, 1078321, 1078435, 1078400, 1078403, 1079308, 1078471, 1079299, 1079294, 1078406, 1078476, 1079318, 1078469, 1078326, 1078323, 1078396, 1078415, 1078411, 1078440, 1078448, 1078462, 1078454, 1078458, 1078457, 1078449, 1078452, 1078445, 1078417, 1078395.