02/01/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/01/2023 10:52
Insights > Entergy Arkansas winter storm update: 2/1/23 @ 10:30 a.m.
02/01/2023
Multiple rounds of winter precipitation have moved through Arkansas bringing freezing rain and ice accumulations this week. The waves of wintry and icy conditions produced approximately 17,000 outages across the Entergy Arkansas service area. Approximately 95% of those outages have been restored, reducing current outages to approximately 1,100, down from a peak of 7,600 Tuesday morning.
Entergy Arkansas continues to monitor the weather, as more precipitation is forecast to impact the state this evening spreading east and increasing intensity with freezing rain persisting overnight, and finally exiting the state Friday afternoon. As temperatures remain below freezing, precipitation will continue to produce ice accumulations of up to a quarter-inch in many areas and up to one-half inch in predicted areas south of Little Rock, between Arkadelphia and Pine Bluff. Severe ice accumulations may cause widespread power outages and additional hazardous travel conditions, making for treacherous driving and potentially slowing restoration efforts.
We have crews supplied and equipped to respond to outages as quickly and safely as possible in all areas. Additional resources are in the state assisting with restoration efforts, including scouts, vegetation crews, electricians, track equipment and more.
Extra weight on power lines caused by ice can cause them to fall or stretch, possibly causing power interruptions. While Entergy Arkansas manages growth of trees and bushes near electrical equipment, one half-inch of ice can increase the weight of a tree limb as much as 30 times, causing limbs to bend or snap, falling onto power lines and causing an outage.
Galloping of lines, which has already been reported in some areas, can also cause outages. Galloping occurs when rain freezes to the power lines, and then steady winds cause adjacent lines to move and sometimes contact one another.
For additional tips and updates, visit https://entergy.com/stormcenter.
Greatest Impacted Areas
(2-1-23; 10:30am)
County |
Customers Out |
CALHOUN |
283 |
CRITTENDEN |
160 |
DALLAS |
103 |
MISSISSIPPI |
166 |
ST. FRANCIS |
165 |
Warming Centers Open for Customers
(2-1-23; 10:30am)
County |
Location |
Address |
GARLAND |
First United Methodist Church |
1100 Central Ave. Hot Springs, AR |
POINSETT |
Campbell Street Senior Center |
351 Campbell Street, Trumann, AR |
POINSETT |
First Baptist Church |
302 Kenwood Avenue Lepanto, AR |
POINSETT |
Fisher Fire Department |
105 N Front Street Fisher, AR |
POINSETT |
Harrisburg Community Building |
203 W South Street Harrisburg, AR |
POINSETT |
Marked Tree City Hall |
1 Elm Street Marked Tree, AR |
POINSETT |
Rice Festival Building |
208 Kings Highway Weiner, AR |
POINSETT |
Senior Citizen Building |
135 Main Street Tyronza, AR |
POINSETT |
Stepping Stone Sanctuary |
904 Speedway St. W, Trumann, AR |
POINSETT |
Waldenburg City Hall |
5645 Highway 14 Weiner, AR |
PULASKI |
Dunbar Community Center |
1001 W. 16th St. Little Rock, AR |
PULASKI |
First Presbyterian Church |
1208 W. Main St Jacksonville, AR |
VAN BUREN |
Fairfield OEM Warming Shelter |
101 Little Rock Road, Heber Springs, AR |
WINTER WEATHER RESTORATION PROCESS
As the winter storm impacts Arkansas, we will deploy scouts to assess damage in all affected areas. It is on these assessments that we base our estimated restoration times. We will communicate these estimates with you, updating as new information becomes available. Our crews will simultaneously be restoring service where it is deemed safe to do so. We ask for your patience, and please know restoring your power safely and quickly is our top priority.
Please be aware the restoration process can be hampered by the surge of instantaneous electrical demand from appliances (heating units, water heaters, etc.) when service is restored to your location, potentially overloading protective devices on Entergy's electrical system. To help mitigate this problem, Entergy encourages you to turn off any electrical heaters or electrical appliances that can easily be turned off until power is restored.
As with any weather event, please be mindful of the following safety tips:
We want to keep you informed and in control. The best way to get information about outages is via Entergy's View Outage page on our website. Additional resources for your convenience: