Police encourage citizens to stay off roads if possible

Friday morning, Blytheville police encouraged residents to stay off the roads if possible.

"The roads are very slick," Blytheville assistant police chief Ricky Jefferson said. "We are encouraging citizens to stay home if they can. All non-emergency city personnel will not work today."

Jefferson said Public Works employees will be out performing storm duties, but there will be no garbage or trash pickup Friday.

All area schools closed because of the inclement weather.

The major winter storm dropped 6 inches of snow in the Little Rock area overnight, breaking a snowfall record set more than 20 years ago.

The National Weather Service says it's recorded 6.2 inches of snow at its office in North Little Rock, just outside the capital city. The winter storm shut down schools and state government offices in central Arkansas on Friday as the snow continues to fall.

A winter storm warning remains in effect until noon Friday. The National Weather Service says strong winds with gusts of up to 40 mph will make driving difficult, especially in the eastern part of the state.

The state's largest utility, Entergy Arkansas, says about 12,500 homes and businesses are without power Friday morning, primarily in the eastern half of the state.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)