Cold To Colder

As promised, this week would be cold, but we charged Mother Nature with a delay of game penalty. That penalty was enforced and it's 1st and frigid with a few more days to go.

We're dealing shallow cold air this week with waves of low pressure moving through the region. One particular wave should move across Wednesday into Thursday morning with icing across northern Arkansas. I don't think the amounts will be huge, but it will be enough to cause issues.

Waves of low pressure will move along a stalled boundary through Thursday. This will produce areas of light freezing rain/drizzle north with rain central and south. Freezing rain COULD briefly move into central Arkansas late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning.

For central Arkansas, temperatures will be mostly above freezing, but we could briefly get down to 31 or 32 degrees late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. This could create a problem, but it should be brief as we go above freezing later Thursday morning. At 32°, you're likely to see a light glaze on exposed objects with little issues on roads, but that must be watched.

Fast forward to the weekend. An arctic high will plunge south bringing the coldest air of the season. We finally have some model agreement. Remember, with arctic air in place, anything can happen. The models do show something coming through this weekend or early next week, but timing can't be pinned down this far in advance. Just know there is something to watch.

The GFS model numbers are off the charts cold while the Euro is more realistic. I think the big weather story will be the potential for dangerous wind chills and advisories may be needed.

Euro wind chills Saturday evening

Euro wind chills Sunday morning

Summary...

Waves of light freezing rain/drizzle possible through Thursday for northern Arkansas with periods of a cold light rain elsewhere. There is potential for the freezing rain to get into central Arkansas late Wednesday night into Thursday morning. It would be brief with temperatures quickly climbing above freezing later Thursday morning.

A very strong push of arctic air is POSSIBLE this weekend. If this does happen, wind chills could become dangerous. Models are hinting at moisture getting involved at some point late this weekend into early next week. Timing, location, and amounts are impossible to predict this far out. There's even the chance it does not happen. Way to early to speculate at this time.

As always, thanks for watching Channel 7, the team with the most experience.