243 FXUS64 KLZK 060454 AFDLZKArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Little Rock AR 1154 PM CDT Fri Sep 5 2025
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 141 AM CDT Fri Sep 5 2025
-Warm to hot temperatures will continue today for the southeastern two-thirds of the state with high temperatures reaching the upper 80s to upper 90s ahead and along a cold front. Across northwestern and north-central Arkansas, high temperatures will only reach to mid 70s to mid 80s as these locations begin to feel cooler temperatures behind the cold front.
-Significant pattern change is expected during the day on Friday into early Saturday as a cold front moves across the state.
-Rain and a few isolated thunderstorms will be possible Friday afternoon/evening through Saturday evening along and behind the cold front.
-A much cooler airmass behind the front will usher in below-normal temperatures beginning Friday afternoon and persist into early next week.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 141 AM CDT Fri Sep 5 2025
FRIDAY (Today) THRU SATURDAY:
Currently, Arkansas is under the influence of warm and southeasterly flow which is situated on the upper lvl western periphery of a subtropical ridge. It is this feature which has resulted in slightly warmer than average temperatures compared to early September normals. However, considerable changes will begin Friday morning into Saturday as an upper lvl trof is digging over the Central and Eastern regions of the CONUS.
This upper lvl feature will coerce a sfc cold front to push across Arkansas beginning Friday morning (this morning) across northwestern Arkansas and track south-southeastward across the state, eventually tracking into Louisiana paralleling the I-20 corridor by Saturday morning.
Guidance consisting of the GFS, ECMWF, and NAM are in cohesion with regards to positioning of this feature. The only small deviations are the timing and amount of rain and storm development associated with the movement of this front as it track across the Natural State. The ECMWF continues to be a slightly quicker and drier solution. However, guidance across the board is trending with a quicker moving cold front and rain and storm activity clearing out of central Arkansas by Saturday afternoon.
Likewise, now in the range of short-term model guidance, are on board with these CAMS solutions such as the RAP and HRRR moving all rain and storm activity into southern Arkansas by Saturday afternoon.
Expect rain and thunderstorm activity to begin impacting northern Arkansas later Friday morning into midday on Friday, central Arkansas by late Friday afternoon into Friday evening, and southern Arkansas into Friday evening and Friday night. The progression of this cold front is slow and precipitation will be present behind this anafront. Rain and isolated storm activity will taper off on Saturday from north to south across the state throughout the day.
High temperatures today will be dependent on the placement of the cold front and seasonable temperatures to temperatures a few degrees above average can be anticipated across much of central and southern Arkansas; whereas, northern Arkansas will feel high temperatures around 10 degrees below normal as the cold front will have already tracked through part of northern Arkansas by this afternoon.
On Saturday, with the FROPA complete across Arkansas, expect temperatures with respect to morning lows and afternoon highs roughly 10 degrees below average compared to normals for this time of the year.
SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY:
Sfc high pressure will settle back in behind the cold front and lead to a Sunday and Monday with temperatures slightly below normal with fair and dry weather conditions will persist through the remainder of the forecast period. The most noted difference over this period will be the gradual increase of temperatures back to seasonal averages or near normal for early to transitioning into mid September by Thursday.
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.AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1152 PM CDT Fri Sep 5 2025
A cold front is positioned across southern Arkansas and will contribute to degraded flight category through the first portion of the forecast period as all terminals are expected to drop flight category to as low as IFR for lowered CIGS and a complex of thunderstorm is forecast to impact central and southern sites which could drop VSBY to MVFR. Expect many sites not to become VFR flight category until Saturday afternoon into Saturday evening as CIGS raise. TEMPO groups have assessed the threat TSRA will pose with reduced VSBY.
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Batesville AR 80 58 78 53 / 20 80 40 0 Camden AR 91 63 78 59 / 30 90 50 10 Harrison AR 75 54 76 51 / 30 80 30 0 Hot Springs AR 86 61 78 57 / 30 80 40 0 Little Rock AR 88 62 77 58 / 30 70 30 0 Monticello AR 90 65 80 61 / 30 80 50 10 Mount Ida AR 86 61 77 59 / 30 80 40 0 Mountain Home AR 77 54 79 51 / 30 80 30 0 Newport AR 80 59 78 52 / 20 80 40 0 Pine Bluff AR 92 62 78 58 / 30 80 40 0 Russellville AR 84 61 80 56 / 30 70 30 0 Searcy AR 85 60 78 54 / 20 70 40 0 Stuttgart AR 89 61 78 56 / 30 70 30 0
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.LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
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SHORT TERM...99 LONG TERM....99 AVIATION...74
NWS LZK Office Area Forecast Discussion