As rains drench state, flood warning remains; possible severe weather in weekend forecast

Up to 4 inches of additional rainfall is expected through Saturday across much of Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service.
Up to 4 inches of additional rainfall is expected through Saturday across much of Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service.

7:11 P.M. UPDATE:

The National Weather Service's office in North Little Rock has allowed a flash flood warning in the area to expire, but a flood warning remains in effect for at least 10 counties.

That advisory, which lasts until 12:45 a.m. Friday, covers parts of Woodruff, Prairie, Perry, Jackson, Lonoke, Conway, Faulkner, White, Saline and Pulaski.

The weather service said at 6:45 p.m. that many locations in central Arkansas have received 3 to 6 inches of rain in the last few days. Additional heavy rain is possible overnight.

— Jillian Kremer

4:30 P.M. UPDATE:

All Pulaski County Special School District schools and offices will be closed Friday due to flooding, the district wrote on Twitter.

It will use the day as an Alternate Methods of Instruction day, or a work-from-home day, for students and teachers.

4 P.M. UPDATE:

Little Rock is under a flash flood warning until 6:45 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service, with one round of heavy rain sweeping the state Thursday night and Friday morning and another expected Saturday afternoon and evening.

Both bouts are predicted to lead to flash flooding and river flooding throughout Arkansas, with the areas near Interstate 30 and U.S. 67 seeing the greatest flash flooding threats, forecasters said.

Severe weather including damaging winds and isolated tornadoes is possible Saturday afternoon and evening, according to the agency.

— Rachel Herzog

EARLIER:

After a lull in precipitation, heavy rainfall is expected to return to Arkansas later Thursday and linger through the weekend, the National Weather Service said.

Meteorologists say an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain — on top of the 2 to 8 inches that has already fallen in parts of Arkansas — is likely by Sunday.

Higher amounts are possible in portions of southwest, central and northeast Arkansas.

In the past day, about 3.6 inches of rain was recorded in Little Rock, according to the weather service. North Little Rock saw around 3.4 inches.

North Little Rock meteorologist Heather Cross said showers were already beginning to enter the state as of Thursday morning. Rainfall later in the day may be scattered before becoming more widespread, she added.

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Photos by the National Weather Service

On Saturday, a slight risk for storms to turn severe is in place for much of Arkansas except for the state’s northwest.

In the risk area, the primary concerns will be damaging winds and isolated tornadoes, according to the weather service.

"We can't rule out a quick spin-up," Cross said, adding that severe storms would likely be in the afternoon and evening hours Saturday.

Cross said flooding also continues to pose a threat, given ground and river saturation from heavy rainfall this week.

“With flooding ongoing, additional high water problems could be serious to life-threatening with water possibly into homes and businesses,” the latest advisory states.

As of Thursday morning, flood warnings were in effect for several rivers in Arkansas, including the Saline River at Benton, Petit Jean River at Danville, White River at Augusta and Black River at Black Rock.

— Brandon Riddle

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