NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — The sun is supposed to shine today. Enjoy it, because snow is back in the forecast Sunday.
People are expected to be out and about today, running errands, doing a little shopping and perhaps stopping at a car wash two days after the first significant snowfall of the year.
Highs today are expected to climb near 40 with a low near 28 tonight. Another front on Sunday carries a 40 percent chance of drizzle and snow and a high in the mid-30s, according to the National Weather Service in Tulsa, Okla.
“Any accumulation will be minimal,” said Pete Snyder, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
There is also a 20 percent chance of snow Monday night into Tuesday morning, Snyder said.
Snow totals Thursday ranged between 3 and 4.5 inches in Northwest Arkansas. The largest accumulation reported to the weather service was 4.5 inches on the east side of Springdale, according to the National Weather Service.
School was out across the area Friday. That left many parents at home with children for the second day in a row.
Holly Hasenclever of Bentonville said she and her two boys, Tate 10, and Brooks, 4, enjoyed their time at home together Thursday and Friday.
“I can work from home,” Hasenclever said. “But I do feel for those parents who have to make plans (for child care) and still get to work.”
More people were out on the mostly clear main roads Friday, and restaurants that closed early because of the weather Thursday were open and seeing long lines.
Ron’s Hamburgers and Chili in Bentonville was busy from 11 a.m. to well past 1 as a hungry lunch crowd visited.
“We have been real crowded, real steady,” manager Letha Hardwick said. “We’ve seen a lot of kids who are out of school and people who are back at work.”
Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers started to buzz with activity Friday afternoon as the snow and ice began to melt.
“We’re definitely going to see an influx of people (today),” said Brenda Majors, Promenade marketing director. “There are a lot of people with cabin fever.”
Jim Bach, store manager for Barnes & Noble in Rogers, said he believes more people will venture out as the roads clear with today’s higher temperatures.
“I live in Hiwasse and some of the roads in the Highlands (Bella Vista) are just treacherous. The road crews just aren’t getting out there,” Bach said.
Thursday’s snow was still causing problems for some events scheduled for today.
The Boys & Girls Club of Benton County postponed 32 basketball games in Bentonville today because of iced-over parking lots at various gym locations, Sean Nicholson with the club said Friday. The games will be made up at a later date.
The annual Benton County Spelling Bee at NorthWest Arkansas Community College set for this morning was postponed. A makeup date was not announced.
With snow in the forecast for Sunday, area sports bars expect to be busy as the NFL’s conference championship games will be held. Green Bay plays at Chicago in the NFC game Sunday afternoon and the New York Jets play at Pittsburgh in the AFC game Sunday night. Winners advance to the Super Bowl in Dallas.
Melissa Luciano, manager of Buffalo Wild Wings in Bentonville, wants to see it snow Sunday.
“When it snows, we’re busier,” she said.
Tabatha Hunter and Mike Jones contributed to this report.