Tornado watch continues through midnight for large part of Arkansas

9:40 P.M. UPDATE:

The tornado warning for Van Buren and Faulkner counties has been canceled.

A tornado watch continues for a large part of the state, including Pulaski County, through midnight.

9:35 P.M. UPDATE:

The tornado warning for Conway County has been canceled. It remains in effect for southeastern Van Buren County and and northwestern Faulkner County until 9:45 p.m.

9:06 P.M. UPDATE:

The National Weather Service has issued a new tornado warning for southeastern Van Buren County, southeastern Conway County and northwestern Faulkner County.

The agency said a severe storm capable of producing a tornado was near Menifee, or 7 miles east of Morrilton, at 9:05 p.m. It was moving northeast at 50 mph.

The warning runs through 9:45 p.m.

8 P.M. UPDATE:

All tornado warnings have expired in Arkansas, though a tornado watch remains in effect Wednesday night for the western half of the state.

That watch, in effect until midnight, encompasses 37 counties, according to the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.

Thunderstorms, some of which may turn severe, will continue to move eastward across the state into the evening and overnight hours.

The primary threats are large hail and damaging winds, though tornadoes cannot be ruled out, the weather service said.

7:45 P.M. UPDATE:

Tornado warnings in Arkansas have been canceled except for one covering southwestern Searcy County.

That warning continues through 8 p.m. and was continued after a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Bohannon at 7:46 p.m. It was moving northeast at 45 mph.

7:29 P.M. UPDATE:

A new tornado warning has been issued for southwestern Searcy County, northwestern Van Buren County and northeastern Pope County.

The National Weather Service said a confirmed tornado was over Smyrna at 7:26 p.m. and moving northeast at 40 mph.

The warning runs through 8 p.m.

7:20 P.M. UPDATE:

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for parts of Boone and Marion Counties in northern Arkansas.

The warning goes until 8 p.m. for northwestern Marion County and northeastern Boone County.

The weather service said a severe storm capable of producing a tornado was over Winington, which is 12 miles northeast of Harrison, at 7:18 p.m. It was moving northeast at 30 mph.

7:07 P.M. UPDATE:

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for part of Pope County.

The weather service said a severe storm capable of producing a tornado was located over Broomfield, which is about 14 miles north of Russellville. It was moving northeast at 40 mph.

The agency said it had received reports the tornado had been spotted on the ground northeast of Scottsville on Gunter Mountain Road.

The warning continues through 7:30 p.m.

6:30 P.M. UPDATE:

All tornado warnings have expired in Arkansas, though a tornado watch remains in effect Wednesday night for the western half of the state.

That watch, in effect until midnight, encompasses 37 counties, according to the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.

Thunderstorms, some of which may turn severe, will continue to move eastward across the state into the evening and overnight hours.

The primary threats are large hail and damaging winds, though tornadoes cannot be ruled out, the weather service said.

5:50 P.M. UPDATE:

A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Logan and Yell counties in Arkansas, the National Weather Service said.

About 5:50 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was over Gravelly, which is about 18 miles southwest of Danville. The storm is moving northeast at 35 mph.

The tornado warning for southeast Logan County and northwest Yell County is in effect until 6:30 p.m.

Quarter-size hail is also possible with the tornado-warned storm, according to a bulletin.

4:20 P.M. UPDATE:

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for most of the western half of Arkansas.

That watch, in effect until midnight Wednesday, includes Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Russellville, Hot Springs, Texarkana and Harrison.

Little Rock and other parts of central Arkansas are not included in the watch area.

Isolated tornadoes, large hail and winds up to 70 mph are possible in western and northern Arkansas.

3:30 P.M. UPDATE:

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The latest forecast has a smaller part of Arkansas under an enhanced risk for severe weather.

The enhanced risk for severe weather has been shifted to a smaller portion of Arkansas, though strong storms remain possible across the entire state.

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center previously had much of Arkansas under the enhanced risk, which calls for numerous severe storms.

The latest forecast maintained that risk level only for parts of eastern and northern Arkansas while keeping the rest of the state under a slight risk. Scattered severe storms are said to be possible in areas under a slight risk.

EARLIER:

The greatest risk for tornadoes Wednesday is across northern portions of Arkansas, where conditions will be ripe for storms to turn severe, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters say most of the state faces an enhanced risk for severe weather, meaning multiple persistent storms are possible Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.

The primary threats are large hail potentially more than 1 inch in diameter and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph, said Sean Clarke, a meteorologist with the agency’s North Little Rock office.

Isolated tornadoes are also possible, particularly in the state’s north and northwest.

“Although there is a risk of tornadoes statewide, the threat for tornadoes will be greatest over the Ozarks region, mainly in the late afternoon and early evening hours,” the weather service said in a statement.

Thunderstorms, scattered at first before becoming more organized, are expected to enter western Arkansas starting around 3 p.m., according to the latest forecast.

Central Arkansas is forecast to see storms beginning about 6 p.m. The severe weather threat will lessen in that area by around midnight.

Portions of eastern Arkansas, including Jonesboro and West Memphis, are in a slight risk category for severe storms late Wednesday and early Thursday.

The threat for severe weather statewide is forecast to diminish by 4 a.m. Thursday.

No portions of the state had been placed under a moderate risk for severe weather as of Wednesday morning, Clarke said.

Still, he said, an upgrade in the severe weather risk was not out of the realm of possibility.

“It cannot be ruled out,” Clarke noted, adding that there has been uncertainty regarding timing and conditions.

High temperatures across Arkansas are set to be in the low 70s to low 80s by Wednesday evening, the weather service said.

Check back with Arkansas Online for updates on this story.

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