Warmer days seen ahead in Arkansas

Week’s forecast calls for highs in 70s

The end of February is looking to be warmer than average this year in the Natural State, the National Weather Service said.

“As we are approaching this last stretch of February, it is not going to feel like February at all,” said Dylan Cooper, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in North Little Rock. “In fact, Tuesday might be the last day it feels like winter for the month.”

Highs in Little Rock are forecast to see the 70s for much of this week, Cooper said Monday morning.

“The normal high temperature this time of year is near the 50s, so we’re looking at anywhere from around a 15to a 20-degree increase from normal,” the forecaster said.

There is a small chance Little Rock may see rain on Thursday, but the system is looking more likely to pass through northeast Arkansas instead, he said.

“We might see some rain, but it’s a bit more like the storm system will pass through and not be so much of a rainmaker but provide cloud cover that might cool it down a little in central Arkansas,” Cooper said.

There is not a lot of eventful weather in the forecast for this week, he said.

“Typically when it feels this springlike in winter, most people think of tornadoes and severe weather, but there is no sign of that for Arkansas so far this week,” the forecaster said.

Once the storm system moves out before the weekend, highs will move back into the 70s in Little Rock, he said.

The rivers that were in flood stages will continue falling, Cooper said.

“We’ve had much more widespread drought these past few months and the rain we had that put a dent in the drought. But it also flooded the rivers. Now, the rivers are slowly going down and we’re getting into a tranquil pattern,” he said.

Cooper said it is possible that this warmer and drier period could carry Arkansas into spring.

“The temperature outlook for the final week in February does appear to signal a high chance of above normal temperatures statewide,” the National Weather Service said in a post on X on Monday morning. “While we can’t rule out any additional future cold air or winter precipitation through March, it does not look like we will be seeing snow storms,” Cooper said.

“Aside from a little bit of rain possible on Thursday, those who complained about the cold can enjoy an early preview of spring,” he said.