The southeastern half of Clark County joins much of southern Arkansas as a region experiencing exceptional drought conditions.
The latest report from the National Weather Service in Little Rock puts 19.4% of the state in exceptional drought, the worst level categorized in measuring drought. A large swath of the southern third of Arkansas stretching from the Oklahoma border to the Mississippi River is under exceptional drought. The 2026 drought has become the worst in Arkansas since August 2012, when about 53% of the state was under exceptional drought.
The drought is negatively impacting South Arkansas in a number of ways.
The forestry industry is seeing adverse affects as forests face heightened vulnerability to pest infestations like pine beetles. Farmers are being affected as ponds run low, and winter forage and hay supplies for cattle are tight. Shifted wildlife patterns are also possible as groundwater levels and water sources are shrinking.
Furthermore, there remains an elevated wildfire potential due to dry vegetation and low humidity levels. All of South Arkansas remains under a burn ban. Clark County has now been under a burn ban for 10 weeks.
No appreciable rainfall is expected through the current forecast period, though some chances for rain may return to the region around Halloween and into early November. Near-normal to above-normal temperatures will persist through at least this weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Little Rock.