Cold air has moved in fast behind the departing storm system, and now a flash freeze is creating dangerous black ice across parts of East Arkansas, Southeast Missouri, and West Tennessee early Tuesday morning.
The National Weather Service in Memphis issued a Special Weather Statement through noon CST, warning that temperatures have already fallen below freezing while road surfaces remain wet. That combination has produced slick, invisible ice on bridges, overpasses, and untreated roadways from Jonesboro and Paragould east through Memphis and north into Dyersburg.
Motorists heading out for work or school should slow down, allow extra braking distance, and stay especially cautious near elevated surfaces where ice forms first. Even though winds are light and skies are clearing, pavement temperatures will remain below freezing through much of the morning.
DOT cameras across northeast Arkansas have already detected patchy black ice, particularly on secondary roads and shaded areas. Forecasters emphasize that “roads that appear merely damp may in fact be icy.”
Conditions will gradually improve by late morning as sunlight helps dry the pavement and temperatures edge above freezing. However, any refreezing could return tonight if temperatures dip again after sunset.
The rest of the day turns quiet and cool, with highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s under partly cloudy skies. Another cold night follows, keeping the early-December chill firmly in place across the Mid-South.
If you must drive this morning, plan for extra time and remain alert for slick spots — especially across I-55, I-40, and Highway 63. Winter’s grip has arrived early for the Arkansas–Tennessee corridor.
