Arkansas State Troopers began receiving their first calls of sleet and snow beginning to cover south and southwest Arkansas highways as early as 8:30 this morning (Sunday, January 9th).
Throughout the day the snow and sleet continued to move north covering most highways and making for dangerous driving conditions as far north as Scott County.
In central Arkansas, particularly the metropolitan Little Rock area, Troopers are reporting dangerous conditions with snow, sleet and ice covering all roadways. More than two dozen highway crashes had been reported on U.S. and state highways in Pulaski, Saline, Faulkner and Lonoke Counties by 4 PM today. Expectations were for the number of crashes to increase as temperatures drop and snow continues to fall during the evening hours.
By late afternoon the deteriorating weather conditions had caused the I-40 bridge across the White River to become slick and dangerous. Westbound traffic along I-40 west of the bridge had slowed this afternoon due to several collisions.
Traffic along I-30 west of Saline County inside Hot Spring and Clark Counties is moving slowly due to multiple weather related crashes. State Troopers in that area say traffic may be stalled for several hours while recovery crews remove wrecked vehicles from the median and highway shoulders.
The State Police is encouraging drivers to avoid travel tonight in the snow covered areas across most of the state.
