Widespread Storms Tracking Southeast Across Arkansas Including Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and Little Rock Friday Morning With Second Round and Severe Risk Possible This Afternoon
ARKANSAS — Widespread storms are tracking southeast across Arkansas this Friday morning as of 7:30 AM, with radar showing an active and noisy storm band stretching from Fayetteville and Fort Smith southeastward through Clinton, Conway, and toward Little Rock and Jonesboro.
The storms are delivering much-needed rainfall across the drought-stricken state while continuing southeast through the late morning and early afternoon hours. A brief clearing is possible midday before additional storm development returns during the afternoon and evening with a severe weather risk attached to that second round.
Active Storm Band Covers Northwest and Central Arkansas at 7:30 AM
The Arkansas Weather Network radar at 7:30 AM shows a broad and intense storm band with heavy orange and red radar returns concentrated across the Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Clinton, and Conway corridor, with the most active lightning activity visible across the northern and central portions of the state. The storm band is tracking southeast with arrows indicating the direction of movement toward Jonesboro, Memphis, and beyond.
The storms have generally behaved in a noisy but non-severe manner through the early morning, producing heavy rainfall and frequent lightning without the organized severe weather that was possible with this system. Both southern Arkansas near Mena and Texarkana and the northeast corner near Jonesboro are also seeing storm activity as the broader system sweeps through.
Much Needed Rainfall Accompanying the Morning Storms
A welcome silver lining with Friday morning’s storm activity is the meaningful rainfall being delivered across drought-stricken Arkansas. After weeks of critically dry conditions across the state, the widespread nature of this morning’s storm band means that a broad swath of the state is picking up beneficial moisture that will begin chipping away at the significant rainfall deficits that have built up over recent weeks.
The storms are expected to continue pushing southeast through the late morning and into the early afternoon, maximizing the coverage and duration of rainfall across the state before the system exits the primary Arkansas coverage area.
Brief Clearing Possible Before Afternoon Severe Risk Returns
After the morning storm band exits the region, a brief window of clearing is possible across portions of Arkansas during the midday hours. However residents should not mistake this break for the end of the weather story for Friday, as additional storm development is expected to fire during the afternoon and evening hours.
The afternoon and evening round of storms carries a severe weather risk, meaning that unlike the generally well-behaved morning activity, the second wave of storms could produce damaging winds, large hail, or other significant severe weather impacts across portions of the state. Residents should remain weather aware through the entire day and into the evening hours. Stay with NapervilleLocal.com for the latest weather updates and local forecast coverage.
I’ve lived in Naperville long enough to see how quickly our community changes — from new developments downtown to sudden shifts in our Midwest weather. Reporting on Naperville news and daily forecasts gives me the chance to keep neighbors informed about what really matters. My goal is simple: deliver clear, timely updates so you always know what’s happening in our city and what to expect from the skies above.