Travel plans could be impacted by the cold as the weekend draws closer

Little Rock, Arkansas – As Christmas and New Year’s Day approach, experts predict that temperatures will drop, which might seriously affect travel plans.

The next several days will bring a temperature that Arkansans haven’t experienced in a while, according to Dave Parker, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

“For central Arkansas, it’s bitter cold starting Thursday afternoon and Friday night temperatures are going to plunge 20-30 degrees,” Parker said.

For the holidays, Dominique and Matthew Strack said they took a flight from Boston to Little Rock, but they were anxious when they learned their flight might be in jeopardy.

“We saw a lot of the notifications on the southwest app that a winter storm was coming in,” said Strack.

Strack claims that they were continually monitoring their flight notifications and the incoming weather to determine if it would have an impact on their plans.

“We definitely looked into some things where there was supposed to be the most snow, most inclement weather to see about our travel plans,” said Strack.

The Clinton National Airport in Little Rock’s director of public affairs, Shane Carter, says it’s critical to monitor the status of your aircraft during this period.

“As we move through the next day, please be sure to monitor any changes from your airline through their website or through their app,” Carter said.

Carter claims that just a small number of flights were canceled on Wednesday owing to problems elsewhere, but if passengers download the airline’s app, they may make plans there.

According to Parker, the department has made an effort to inspect the state of the roads before the arrival of the cold weather.

“We will be out today pre-treating all the districts putting down the salt prime in some cases”, Parker said.

Given that the chilly temperatures won’t end soon, Parker said they intend to maintain the roads for the remainder of the week.

“Nothing that falls on the ground Thursday or Friday is going to melt by Christmas day. Temperatures are going to plunge and remain that way for a good 72 hours,” Parker said, urging all drivers to take caution.

Whitney Jones, a truck driver, reports that she will be working on the road on Thursday and urges motorists to exercise caution.

“If you don’t think you can handle it, it’s best to pull over. I know they’re in a rush to see their family but it’s not worth it,” Jones stated

According to Parker, if drivers are expecting to travel this week, they should make sure to pack something warm in their car and fill up the tank in case of traffic.