Northwest Arkansas is under a winter weather advisory on Tuesday as much of the rest of the state braces for the possibility of heavy rainfall and flooding, forecasters said. Later in the week, severe weather is possible.
Residents in the northwest corner of the state may see a mix of sleet and light freezing rain late Tuesday morning and into the afternoon, according to Brian Smith, a senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in North Little Rock. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Benton, Washington, Carroll and Madison counties until 6 a.m. Wednesday.
According to forecasters, though bridges and overpasses may become slick, impacts from the winter weather in those counties are expected to be minor.
But the possibility of heavy rain has increased elsewhere in Arkansas. Even in areas southeast of those under the advisory, the precipitation may start as a mix of sleet and freezing rain before becoming a cold rain, forecasters said.
Much of the eastern half of the state is under a flash flood watch — including Jackson County, where heavy rains last week weakened a levee south of Newport and prompted flooding concerns. Flood warnings were in effect Tuesday for parts of the White, Cache, Black, Mississippi, Ouachita and St. Francis rivers.
Severe weather will be possible Saturday afternoon and evening ahead of an approaching cold front, bringing a risk of strong to severe thunderstorms capable of producing large hail, Smith said. According to Smith, a risk of tornadoes developing also exists, though the greatest concern will be damaging winds.
