NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Temperatures dropped below freezing Wednesday night, creating hazardous road conditions for Arkansas drivers.
Tuesday's snow storm slowed down some travelers as they made their way home from visiting family and friends the day after Christmas.
"The Interstates seem like they're clearing off real good," said Alex Harper, who stopped by the Loves Truck Stop in Benton on Wednesday.
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But those roads became worse late Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. Arkansas troopers worked numerous wrecks Thursday night. Some along Interstates 30, 40, and 440 in the Little Rock/North Little Rock area had traffic at a standstill. Arkansas State Police said those involved large trucks that fork-knifed into the snow as they tried turning.
"We think that Thursday morning could be a very treacherous time," said Randy Ort with the State Highway and Transportation Dept. That's because the melting snow is turning into dangerous ice.
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Ort said it's especially important to be extra cautious in areas that don't get direct sunlight, such as under bridges and overpasses. That's where "black ice" often hides; that's the ice that is on the road but is hard to see before you are on it.
"Whether it comes from buildings or trees or from a bridge or an overpass, anyplace the sun did not get to, you are either going to still have ice or you're going to have moisture that's going to refreeze overnight," Ort said.
Ort suggests that if drivers must get out Thursday, to delay their travels to mid-to-late morning.
Highway crews are working on clearing roads across the state. Ort said workers will be working the aftermath of Tuesday's storm well into Friday.
To view live weather conditions from across Central Arkansas, click here.