Workers at Justin's Collision Repair in Clinton parked wreckers inside their building, got out the snow chains and organized their work shifts for tonight and Sunday as they and the rest of the state readied for the freezing rain and sleet the National Weather Service said is headed into Arkansas.
"We're doing everything we can to get ready," said Susan Ward, a dispatcher at the wrecker service.
Meteorologists forecast a tenth of an inch to a quarter of an inch of ice could glaze roadways from Mena north to Clinton and Marshall and on to the Missouri border late this evening and early Sunday.
"The colder hills and valleys may see some problems," said National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Goudsward of North Little Rock. "The areas to the north are what concerns us the most."
A storm system over the southwest will move east, bringing a chance of sleet and freezing rain to Texarkana shortly after midnight Sunday and spread up toward northeast Arkansas during the day. Because of the cold, dry air already in place, the precipitation should begin as sleet and then turn to freezing rain.
Warmer air is expected to follow during the day, with the frozen mix changing to rain in the southern half of the state.
Temperatures are not expected to warm enough farther north, and that's where meteorologists think icing problems are likely to occur.
Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department crews are preparing to treat roadways with brine and salt.
"We're manning our equipment now and getting ready to combat whatever comes our way," said Tommy Littleton, the district maintenance engineer for the Highway Department's division in Russellville.
Ward said her wrecker service already towed a van from a ditch north of Clinton on Friday afternoon after it slid on a patch of water that had frozen when temperatures dipped below freezing.
"We're famous for getting the bad weather when it comes to the state," she said. "I guess you could say it's already here in Clinton again."
Goudsward said those in the northern part of the state could see freezing rain through Sunday and into Monday morning before the system moves out of the state.
State Desk on 01/10/2015