An active weather pattern will continue across the region through the weekend, with some threat for strong to severe thunderstorms forecast through the weekend.
Chances for severe weather will be greatest across the southwest section of the state through tonight. The threat on Thursday will be less concentrated, but may be more focused for western sections. Chances for severe weather will be a tad lower on Friday…but return for Saturday and Sunday.
The primary threats expected with the strongest storms will be large hail and damaging winds, with some tornadoes also possible. Very large hail over 2 inches in diameter and damaging winds over 70 mph could be seen across southwest sections of the state this Wednesday afternoon.
Some areas of heavy rainfall could be seen by late this week. Additional rainfall amounts exceeding 1.5 inches could be seen through Memorial Day, especially across the south half of the state. Locally heavier amounts are possible. This may lead to some isolated flash flooding.
Heavy Rainfall and Flooding Expected for Arkansas on Tuesday
A heavy rain event is expected for Tuesday and Wednesday in Arkansas, but it appears the amounts will not be quite as heavy as previously thought.
The forecast calls for three to four inches of rain (instead of four to six inches) from central into southwest Arkansas. Elsewhere across the state, one to three-inch amounts is expected. Given this much rain, there is the potential for flash flooding in places and rises in area rivers.
Click on the pic below for the attached weather briefing PDF from the National Weather Service.
Periodic rainfall, saturated soils lead to planting delays for Arkansas growers
KUAR | By Tracy Courage / UA Division of Agriculture, Ryan McGeeney/ UA Divison of Agriculture
After a rainy April, spring planting in Arkansas is off to a slow start, with three of the state’s major crops lagging far behind their typical progress.
Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said it could be May 1 before some areas of the state are dry enough to resume planting — or even later, with additional rainfall in the forecast.
Without a little cooperation from Mother Nature, he said, 2022 could be the first year that the state’s rice acreage falls below 1 million acres in nearly 40 years.
Randy Chlapecka/University Of Arkansas Division Of Agriculture
Equipment standing in water after a rain deluge April 20, 2022, near Tuckerman, Arkansas.