Starting today and for the next several days, there will be an arctic cold front to settle across Arkansas reminiscent of the double snowstorms of February 2021 when highs stayed below freezing for a week. There’s also a question as to how much snow vs. how much sleet the Pine Bluff area will get.
Although the weather is not predicted to rival 2021 in all aspects, Pine Bluff is expecting to see bitter cold temperatures that will stretch for days on end. The high temperatures today, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are not expected to reach freezing, and the lows – 12, 6 and 2 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings – will keep Monday’s frozen precipitation on the ground for several days.
Even after Thursday, when the high will be 40, things don’t warm up much because more bitter cold is expected next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The National Weather Service has been predicting that Pine Bluff was in a large band of the state that would receive between 3 and 5 inches of snow and could wind up getting more than that. Now, according to Thomas Jones, a forecaster at the service’s office in North Little Rock, weather prediction models are showing that some of that moisture may wind up falling as sleet.
“What we are seeing is that the arctic air won’t initially move out all of the warmer air aloft,” he said Saturday afternoon. “That means that some of the precipitation will start out as snow, then melt, then fall through the cold arctic air and turn to sleet.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The tricky part, Jones said, is figuring out how much will fall as snow and how much as sleet. One inch of rain equals 10 inches of snow, but the same amount of rain equals only 2 inches of sleet.
“Northern Jefferson County could get 10 of snow while the southern parts of the county get 2 inches of sleet,” he said. “I know that sounds crazy.”
The precipitation will come in two waves across the state with the first one today hitting the northern parts of Arkansas. Then from about midnight tonight into Monday morning, the snow and/or sleet will hit the Pine Bluff area.
“With the bitterly cold temps, whatever does fall is going to stick around for days, similar to the storm you got in 2021,” Jones said.
When the storms of 2021 hit and stuck around, almost 20 inches of snow fell, and the cold temperatures froze and burst water pipes – water pipes that, once thawed, decimated the city’s water delivery system.
Liberty Utilities has, by state mandate, leaned into the maintenance and upgrades to the local water system, and their outreach in advance of this coming storm reminds residents to do what they can to avoid a repeat of the catastrophe two years ago when water pressure sank to nothing and almost nothing, forcing the near closure of Jefferson Regional Medical Center and other big operators in town and many residents to use bottled water.
“With subfreezing temperatures expected throughout the area as we move into the weekend, Liberty would like to remind customers to weatherize water pipes and take steps to prevent them from breaking,” stated a news release from the water supplier. “Water expands as it freezes, putting pressure on metal or plastic pipes that can cause them to break. Pipes can freeze within three to five hours of subfreezing temperatures. The pipes most susceptible to freezing are those that are exposed to the severe cold (such as outdoor faucets and sprinkler lines) in unheated areas such as the basement, attic, garage, cabinets, or crawl spaces, or those run near or within exterior walls with little to no insulation.
Liberty also offered the following advice for making sure damage is limited:
Know where your main water valve is located and how to shut it off.
Disconnect all garden hoses and drain any water remaining in outdoor faucets.
Check unheated areas where water lines are located and ensure they are insulated. Heat tape can be used on pipes in these areas for quick and affordable insulation.
Keep your home temperature set no lower than 55°F. Open cabinet doors to let warmer room temperatures flow in.
When temperatures are below freezing, let cold water drip from faucets served by exposed or poorly insulated pipes. Even running water through pipes at a trickle can help prevent them from freezing.
If a pipe freezes, shut off the water immediately, but keep the faucet open. You can thaw pipes by applying warm air with a hair dryer or space heater until full pressure is restored.
Check all other faucets; if one pipe freezes, others may as well. Slowly turn the water back on and check pipes and joints for any cracks.
In preparation for the cold, the city will open a warming center at the Pine Bluff Civic Center at the Detective Collins Center, from 5 p.m. today through 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
The State Police has also encouraged motorists to stay off the roads if possible.
“For those who must drive, please remember to reduce your speed, create more distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you, and brake earlier than normal,” they said. “Abiding by these rules will help everyone on the highways stay safe. If you must travel, consider packing an emergency kit filled with extra clothing, blankets, water, non-perishable food, and first aid items.
Troopers said they will be out in force to assist motorists in need.
“Use *ASP (*277) for non-emergency calls to be connected to the Troop closest to you. ASP has 12 Troop headquarters scattered across the state, each equipped and staffed with its own telecommunications dispatch center,” said the state police. “A map illustrating Troop headquarters locations, counties each Troop patrols, and contact information can be found at: https://www.dps.arkansas.gov/law-enforcement/arkansas-state-police/divisions/highway-patrol/.
For the latest winter weather road conditions, visit IDrive Arkansas at: https://www.idrivearkansas.com/travel_info/report?report_type=winter&show_tir_btn=1.
And finally, some common sense is good to employ when it comes to caring for four-legged friends. As fourpaws.com, an online site for dealing with pets, said, if it’s too cold outside for you, it’s too cold for pets. But when you do go out with them in the bitter cold, keep the walks shorter. Some animals also may need more calories this time of the year in order to stay warm.
For animals that can’t come inside, veterinarians say to make sure their water stays free of ice, their habitat stays dry and they have plenty of dry bedding. And if there’s a heat source, make sure it’s safe.
Ahead of the worst of the weather, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff announced Friday that it will not only be closed on Monday to observe the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, but in addition, because of the winter weather warning for most of Arkansas, including Pine Bluff, the university will transition to virtual business operations and academic instruction on Tuesday. Normal operations will resume at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello also announced it would pivot to virtual learning and business operations Tuesday. All campuses and offices will be closed, and critical personnel should report for duty, according to UAM. Normal operations are scheduled to resume Wednesday.
UAM will also be closed for MLK Day on Monday.