Wednesday brought warmer temperatures to Pine Bluff, but drivers in and around the city could face more driving challenges today as the melted snow was expected to refreeze overnight.
The projected low of 25 degrees — 7 below freezing — for Wednesday night would provide for a less severe reading than in the previous 24 hours. Pine Bluff recorded a low of 10 between 10:53 p.m. Tuesday and 2:53 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Thursday’s high is expected to reach 41, but the NWS predicts a 20% chance of rain or freezing rain, followed by mostly cloudy skies. A winter weather advisory for the city is in effect from 6 a.m. to noon today.
Pine Bluff city and Jefferson County offices, as well as the county Courthouse, will open at 10 a.m. today. Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington said the main thoroughfares in the city were clear Wednesday evening but many of the side streets remained iced over.
Pine Bluff, Watson Chapel and White Hall school districts announced their campuses would remain closed today, adding officials were continuing to monitor roads. Today would mark the third straight day classes have been canceled locally due to the weather. Schools were closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Among higher-learning institutions, Southeast Arkansas College and the University of Arkansas at Monticello announced their campuses would remain closed today. Classes at SEARK will be held virtually and the campus will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday, President Steven Bloomberg said.
UAM said it would hold virtual learning and business operations today.
“Critical personnel should report for duty,” UAM announced. “Notices concerning the operation of each of UAM’s campuses can be obtained on the UAM website, local media and UAMAlert. UAM plans to resume normal operations Friday.”
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff did not issue any weather-related updates as of 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Waste Management services will remain suspended for residential customers today. The Jefferson County and Two-Pine Landfills will be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
“WM will attempt to resume regular recycling and solid waste pickup when it is safe to do so,” the company announced. “If a customer was missed due to the winter weather event, the customer’s recycling and solid waste will be recovered at the next regularly scheduled pickup date. If a customer has extra recycling that does not fit in the cart, they may place those items in a cardboard box by the cart. Recyclables should never be placed in plastic bags.”
UAPB students enrolled in the Master of Science for Agricultural Regulations program are having fun in the snow Tuesday. From left: Henrietta Owusu, Maxwell Mkunga and Shermaine Critchlow. (Special to The Commercial/Elijah Agene)