Little Rock, AR – Arkansas may face an early punch of winter cold heading into Thanksgiving week, raising concerns about frostbite and hypothermia, according to updated projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The agency’s Nov. 19 climate outlook signals a significant pattern shift beginning November 25, with colder-than-normal temperatures likely across much of the central and southern U.S. into early December.
According to NOAA, this cold push stems from multiple atmospheric drivers, including the ongoing La Niña pattern, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, and the possibility of a rare late-November sudden stratospheric warming event. These drivers may funnel colder Arctic air into the North-Central and Eastern U.S., placing Arkansas within a colder-than-normal temperature zone just as holiday travel peaks.
As residents prepare for Thanksgiving gatherings, football games, parades, and early holiday shopping, state health officials warn that frostbite and hypothermia can develop faster than many expect — especially when brisk winds drop wind-chill values below freezing.
Common frostbite symptoms include:
• Numbness or loss of feeling
• Tingling or prickling sensations
• Cold, hard, waxy-looking skin
• Skin discoloration (red, white, blue, gray, or purple)
• Blisters that may appear after rewarming
Ten key signs of hypothermia:
Shivering, slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, confusion, memory loss, severe fatigue, stumbling or clumsiness, drowsiness, and — in severe cases — loss of consciousness. Infants may show bright red, cold skin and unusually low energy.
NOAA urges Arkansans to dress in warm layers, cover exposed skin, and limit time outdoors during the coldest periods of Thanksgiving week. Anyone showing symptoms of frostbite or hypothermia should seek immediate medical attention and warm affected areas with warm — not hot — water or gentle body heat.
