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Historic May Snowfall in Northwest Arkansas

First recorded May snow in Arkansas
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture photo by Darrin Henderson

The first recorded snowfall in Arkansas in the month of May has covered the ground in at least five counties.

Snow began falling in the overnight hours in the northwestern portion of the state.

It's still possible central Arkansas could see some light snowfall or a mix on Saturday.

The latest accumulating snow for Little Rock on record is 0.8 inch on March 30, 1987.

Jane Maginot, a Washington County extension program associate for theUniversity of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, grows vegetables to sell at the Winslow Farmers Market and the Green Fork Farmers Market in Fayetteville. 

It's the first recorded May snow in Arkansas.
Credit U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture photo by Jane Maginot
Washington County, Ark. Extension Agent Jane Maginot awoke to see snow covering her vegetable garden on May 3, 2013.

She was already thinking about next steps when she photographed her snow covered vegetable garden at 6:15 Friday morning.

Some of the beds were covered with a tarp. Others had the green from potatoes, green beans and garlic poking out of a thin blanket of snow. It was the zucchini patch that got her.

“Even if they made it through today, I think tonight will be their end game,” Maginot said. “We just planted them and they were probably 3 inches tall. I’m going to have to rip them all out. “It’s the life of a farmer, right?” she said.

Karen Tricot Steward was a News Anchor, Reporter and Content Development Director for UA Little Rock Public Radio.