PINE BLUFF, Ark. — With winter weather on the way, cities around the metro are getting ready. In Pine Bluff, they're as prepared as they can be before Thursday's storm.
"I would love to get through this without any kind of issues at all," Rick Rhoden, Director of the Pine Bluff Street Department, said.
Rhoden has experience with plenty of storms that have hit Pine Bluff in the past. That experience is why he's remaining as positive as possible.
"I do know that the groundhog saw his shadow, and so they'll be expecting six more weeks" he said, laughing.
It's hard to laugh though when Rhoden thinks of what this storm could possibly cause.
If the storm misses Pine Bluff entirely, then that's great, but it's the ice that's in the forecast that's worrying him.
"The ice is gonna be something that I don't want to see because I know what kind of damages it will do, because the ice storm of 2000 was one of the worst scenes we've ever seen here in Pine Bluff," Rhoden said.
Of course, major storms have gone through the city in the past. The previously mentioned ice storm from 2000, and of course, last years snowstorm.
"This one, I'm looking for it to mainly be ice," he said. "I think it'll be more critical than the snow last year as far as the travel goes. Just try to be safe."
It's hard not to remember those storms as Thursday's storm approaches– but they're using them as reference here.
"The steps that were taken during those times worked for us," Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington, said. "Sometimes after a storm we talk about what we could have done to make it better and so we're putting all those things into practice even now."
As the storms approach, safety remains a top priority for the city according to Mayor Washington.
With a storm like this though, it becomes more complicated. Ice is much harder to work with than the snow from last year.
"There's no way we can know exactly what we need to do or what it's going to be like," she said. "That's going to block us from getting to people and getting those services out there."
So with the storm on the way and concern over how much it will impact the city, Mayor Washington is echoing Rhoden and staying positive.
Until the storm hits, it's all they can do.
"In every situation I think we have to be optimistic," she said. "Praying that we make it through this without any casualties or major losses and looking to the end of this storm when the sun is shining and the roadways are dry and we're back to those 70 degree days again."
Pine Bluff residents can text SAFETYALERTS to 91896 for weather and safety updates throughout the storm.