Severe weather and a chance for winter precipitation are forecast for the Northwest Arkansas area heading into the weekend, the National Weather Service said.
The National Weather Service indicates a chance of rain, snow and sleet in the forecast for Saturday in Northwest Arkansas.
Meteorologist Jeff Hood said more specifics on the severe weather threats are expected to become clearer as the week progresses. More certain is the forecast for heavy rainfall from Thursday to Saturday, Hood said, with the most rain predicted to fall Friday.
Northwest Arkansas is predicted to see up to 2 inches, Hood said. During that three-day period, Central Arkansas along with much of the southwest and northeast regions are forecast to see 3 to 4 inches.
Hood noted that although some people may not think of winter as a hotbed for severe weather activity, the largest outbreak of tornadoes in Arkansas history happened January 21, 1999, when 107 tornadoes were recorded.
“In Arkansas, we have severe weather events 12 months of the year,” Hood said.
And while it's not yet clear whether there is a serious chance for tornadoes, Arkansans can take this opportunity to consider their weather safety plans, Hood said.
“Now is a good time to think about what you would do during severe weather,” Hood said.