ARKANSAS, USA — Snow is coming to Arkansas, but exactly how much will the state get?
Get ready for a powerful winter storm to strike Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley on Tuesday, bringing a widespread cold rain, quickly changing over to a wintry mix and then to heavy snow to the west and north.
Some Arkansans may pick up more than a half foot of snow, making travel dangerous by Tuesday night. How much snow is coming?
This storm is moving in from the U.S. - Mexico border, gathering moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and preparing to turn it into a wintry mess for the Ozarks and Ouachitas.
If you live north or west of Little Rock, chances are that you may get some snow this week. The closer you live to the Oklahoma or Missouri state lines, the more snow you may get. The higher up you live, the more snow you may get.
In western Arkansas, rain will change over to snow from 2-7 p.m., starting with the highest elevations.
Northcentral Arkansas will make the change to snow from 3-5 p.m.
Northeast Arkansas (parts) may get some snow by midnight.
Winter Weather Alerts
A large swath of snowfall-related alerts has been issued across the south and into the Ozarks. This storm will begin to dump snow near the Red River, and move north all the way to the Great Lakes.
Pink: Winter Storm Warning -- heaviest snow, worst travel conditions
Purple: Winter Weather Advisories -- more rain than snow, but light accumulation still expected.
How much snow will you get?
The terrain of Arkansas will pick up the most snow, then the metros of NW Arkansas, then eastern Oklahoma, then the River Valley.
- Northwest Arkansas: 5-8" inches (locally 8+ inches in spots)
- Eastern Oklahoma: 2-6 inches
- Boston Mountains: 8+ inches
- River Valley (within 10 miles of the Arkansas River): 1-4 inches
- River Valley (10+ miles from the Arkansas River): 3-6 inches
- Central Arkansas: Trace to 1 inch
- Northeast Arkansas: Trace to 1 inch
- Southern Arkansas: Mostly likely no snow, mainly rain
A few flurries are possible Wednesday but the heavy snow will be over. Expect lots of snowmelt by the end of the week.