February 6, 2026
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas agencies worked around the clock before, during, and after Winter Storm Fern to safeguard lives and support local governments across the state. The storm brought snow, freezing rain, and dangerously low temperatures that challenged infrastructure and communities statewide.
BEFORE THE STORM
In the days leading up to Winter Storm Fern, the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) closely monitored forecasts from the National Weather Service and coordinated with the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), the Arkansas State Police, the Arkansas National Guard, the Arkansas Department of Health and many other state, local, and private sector partners to ensure readiness across all sectors.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statewide emergency declaration on January 22, activating the Arkansas National Guard and enabling the state to access additional resources as needed. Additionally, a federal emergency declaration was approved at the request of Governor Sanders to assist with immediate response needs to help the state-led efforts of getting the power back on, helping clearing roads for emergency services and keeping communities safe.
ARDOT reports that crews pre-treated 33,000 miles of highway before the storm hit Arkansas. County and municipal emergency managers were prepared, with local Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) initiating coordination calls to identify potential needs.
ADEM pre‑positioned generators, pallets of water, and warming center supplies in advance of expected impacts. Public information officers across multiple state agencies launched safety campaigns, urging Arkansans to prepare emergency kits, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow official updates through reliable sources.
DURING THE STORM
As Winter Storm Fern moved across Arkansas, the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in North Little Rock transitioned to a full activation. Staff from more than a dozen state and federal partners—including FEMA Region 6—stayed in constant communication to manage resource requests, monitor power outages, and support local response efforts.
The SEOC received 51 requests across the state and distributed 34 pallets of water to communities in need. Through the coordination efforts of ADEM staff, Army and Air service members with the Arkansas National Guard supported with over 50 truck teams between January 23-29 to help Arkansans as needed.
More than 70 warming centers opened across Arkansas during the heart of the winter storm and continued to stay open for several days after.
ARDOT reports that crews plowed 38,000 miles of state highways to keep critical routes open for emergency responders. According to ARDOT’s latest reports as of Thursday, crews have used about 3 million gallons of salt brine and spread roughly 37,000 cubic yards of salt to improve driving conditions. Final totals for salt usage are still being finalized. Utility companies worked around the clock to restore power safely as outages occurred. 45 Arkansas counties declared a state of emergency before and during the event as preemptive damage reports came in.
AFTER THE STORM
Following the storm’s passage, county emergency managers reported damage to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), allowing ADEM to coordinate resources and support in real time if needed.
Sheltering missions and warming centers remained active for several days while major roadways and power systems were restored.
The ADEM Field Operations Branch and Recovery Branch began preliminary damage assessments on February 3 to document impacts across Arkansas.
Arkansas continues recovery efforts following Winter Storm Fern with support from FEMA teams. A FEMA technical team is working alongside staff at the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management office, while two additional teams are in the field partnering with local and state officials to assess damage in impacted counties.
CONTINUING SUPPORT
Although immediate hazards have passed, ADEM remains engaged in post‑storm recovery operations. The agency continues to coordinate with federal and local partners to ensure any remaining resource needs are met.
“Our people and our partners stepped up—before, during, and after Winter Storm Fern,” said ADEM Director A.J. Gary. “Thanks to strong coordination and a statewide commitment to preparedness, Arkansas is well on the road to recovery.”
ADEM is the state’s homeland security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.