Little Rock, Arkansas – Temperatures across Arkansas will swing sharply over the next 48 hours, with a rapid warm-up midweek that could impact outdoor plans and increase fire weather concerns.
According to the National Weather Service in Little Rock, overnight lows Monday will drop into the lower 40s to near 50 degrees statewide, including 48°F in Little Rock, 43°F in Harrison, and near 50°F in Monticello. Highs Tuesday will recover into the mid-60s to lower 70s, with cities like Little Rock reaching 66°F, Fort Smith near 69°F, and Texarkana climbing to 73°F.
The biggest change arrives by Wednesday, when temperatures jump another 15 to 18 degrees across much of the state. That puts central and southern Arkansas into the upper 70s to near 80°F, including Little Rock, Pine Bluff, and El Dorado. This rapid warming is driven by strong southerly winds pulling in warmer air from the Gulf.
Travel conditions remain quiet, but the warming trend could dry out vegetation, increasing localized fire risk, especially in open rural areas.
A cold front is expected to move through Friday, bringing cooler air into the weekend. Until then, above-average warmth will dominate across Arkansas through midweek.
