Since 1900 (through 2019), the temperature at Little Rock (Pulaski County) reached 70 degrees in December about twice a year.
In the picture: Since 1900 (through 2019), the temperature at Little Rock (Pulaski County) reached 70 degrees in December about twice a year.
 

It was plenty warm on December 9th and 10th, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s. It was 72 and 75 degrees respectively at Little Rock (Pulaski County). On the latter day, it was 77 degrees at Harrison (Boone County) and 75 degrees at Fayetteville (Washington County). A few days later, it snowed at both places. There is more on that later.

 

The forecast map showed snow over northern Arkansas, and rain farther south on 12/13/2020.
In the picture: The forecast map showed snow over northern Arkansas, and rain farther south on 12/13/2020.
 

On the 11th, changes started coming. A storm system/cold front spread widespread rain across the region. Highs were generally in the 50s/60s. A brief lull followed on the 12th, and then it got interesting. As temperatures continued to cool, a new storm system was on the horizon in the southern Plains.

 

Snow was occurring in northern and western Arkansas at 300 pm CST on 12/13/2020. There was widespread rain farther south and east. Temperatures ranged from the lower 30s in the north to the mid 40s in the east.
In the picture: Snow was occurring in northern and western Arkansas at 300 pm CST on 12/13/2020. There was widespread rain farther south and east. Temperatures ranged from the lower 30s in the north to the mid 40s in the east.
 

While it looked like a cold rain for most of us on the 13th, data showed a deep layer of below freezing air aloft over the Ozark Mountains, and good chances of snow. That's exactly what panned out.

 

In the video: Several inches of snow were along Highway 412 near Siloam Springs (Benton County) during the afternoon of 12/13/2020. The video is courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).
 

Snow was in progress across the far northwest during the morning of the 13th, and flakes accumulated quickly. By the late morning/early afternoon, snow spread eastward from Rogers (Benton County) and Eureka Springs (Carroll County) to Harrison (Boone County), Jasper (Newton County), and Mountain Home (Baxter County).

 

Roads in northwest Arkansas were slush and snow covered during the afternoon of 12/13/2020. The graphic is courtesy of IDriveArkansas through the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).
In the picture: Roads in northwest Arkansas were slush and snow covered during the afternoon of 12/13/2020. The graphic is courtesy of IDriveArkansas through the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).
 

As snow came down, conditions along area highways deteriorated. Many roads were slush or snow covered, and law enforcement reported dozens of accidents.

 

Accumulating snow created postcard moments at Harrison (Boone County) and Eureka Springs (Carroll County) on 12/13/2020. The photos are courtesy of Rebekah Hearn and J.W. Fultz via Twitter.
Snow at Harrison (Boone County)  |  Snow at Eureka Springs (Carroll County)
In the pictures: Accumulating snow created postcard moments at Harrison (Boone County) and Eureka Springs (Carroll County) on 12/13/2020. The photos are courtesy of Rebekah Hearn and J.W. Fultz via Twitter.
 

By the time the snow ended, there was six to seven inches of powder near Busch (Carroll County) and southeast of Garfield (Benton County). Five to six inches of snow was reported at Gravette (Benton County), Holiday Island (Carroll County), southeast of Jasper (Newton County), Monte Ne (Benton County), Springdale (Benton and Washington Counties), and southeast of Snowball (Searcy County).

 

Estimated snowfall as of 700 am CST on 12/14/2020.
In the picture: Estimated snowfall as of 700 am CST on 12/14/2020.
 

In the higher elevations of the Ouachita Mountains of west central Arkansas, three inches of snow managed to accumulate north of Bryan (Scott County), with a couple of inches at Bogg Springs (Polk County), Mount Nebo (Yell County), and Queen Wilhelmina State Park (Polk County). At Mount Magazine (Logan County), there was half a foot of snow.

At Fayetteville Drake Field (Washington County), the official tally was 2.8 inches. Incredibly, this was the most snow at the site for any day since March 2, 2014. 

 

Link of Interest
Snow on Satellite

 

A sounding (temperature and dewpoint profile with height) at the North Little Rock Airport (Pulaski County) showed that above freezing temperatures extended from the ground to 6,000 feet aloft at 600 pm CST on 12/13/2020. This caused snow to melt (becoming rain) before reaching the ground through much of the event.
In the picture: A sounding (temperature and dewpoint profile with height) at the North Little Rock Airport (Pulaski County) showed that above freezing temperatures extended from the ground to 6,000 feet aloft at 600 pm CST on 12/13/2020. This caused snow to melt (becoming rain) before reaching the ground through much of the event.
 

Away from the mountains of the north and west (to the south/east), subfreezing air was too far aloft to allow much in the way of snow. Temperatures (mid 30s to lower 40s) in the lowest few thousand feet of the atmosphere melted frozen precipitation into liquid.

 

In the video: Snow fell briefly at the North Little Rock Airport (Pulaski County) during the late evening of 12/13/2020. There was some minor accumulation (0.1 inch) locally before precipitation ended.
 

After dark on the 13th, it eventually cooled enough near the ground in central sections of the state to stop the melting and allow a brief period of snow before the event came to a close. Southwest of Morrilton (Conway County), 0.5 inch of snow was measured, with 0.1 inch at the North Little Rock Airport (Pulaski County).

 

Winter weather, severe weather, and flood headlines were posted across the central United States at 1130 am CST on 12/31/2020.
In the picture: Winter weather, severe weather, and flood headlines were posted across the central United States at 1130 am CST on 12/31/2020.
 

Later in the month, precipitation was below average in much of the Arkansas. Along came another storm system from Texas by the 30th, and it looked as though rainfall deficits might get wiped out. As a precaution, Flash Flood Watches were posted.

 

Seventy two hour rainfall as of 600 am CST on 01/01/2021.
In the picture: Seventy two hour rainfall as of 600 am CST on 01/01/2021.
 

Rain continued through the end of the year, and was heaviest across the southern half of the state. Seventy two hour rainfall amounts through 600 am CST on January 1st included 4.86 inches at Monticello (Drew County), 4.10 inches at El Dorado (Union County). 3.97 inches at Mount Ida (Montgomery County). 3.79 inches at De Queen (Sevier County), 3.73 inches at Pine Bluff (Jefferson County) and Texarkana (Miller County), 3.26 inches at Hot Springs (Garland County), and 3.05 inches at Little Rock (Pulaski County).

Toward the Missouri border, temperatures hovered around freezing during the evening of the 31st, and ice was a concern. There was only a thin glaze of ice from Harrison (Boone County) to Mountain Home (Baxter County) and Viola (Fulton County). Quarter to half inch ice accruals were reported at Cowell, west of Vendor, and at Western Grove (all in Newton County). Accruals from a tenth to quarter inch were reported near Beaver (Carroll County), Gateway (Benton County), and Kingston (Madison County),