Northwest Flow for Friday….

It’s somewhat of a tricky forecast for your Friday.  We call this pattern northwest flow, and that’s where the winds aloft are out of the northwest.  This type of pattern is tough to gauge as the models often struggle with disturbances that move out of the northwest flow.

A disturbance is forecast to move across our area toward Friday afternoon and evening.  Temperatures should climb into the 70′s with an increase in the cloud cover.  Expect a chance for some isolated showers late in the day; however, we’re not expecting widespread rainfall across the area.

Drew Michaels

Follow us on Twitter at “4029weather”

Everything In The Mix

  It’s the day before Hurricane Season officially begins in the Atlantic.  Already we have seen some tropical action with Alberto and Beryl… hopefully folks in the gulf and along the Atlantic can catch their breath a bit before anything named Chris (the next storm name) will be threatening their area.

   Here at home we have had three overnights full of rain showers, thunder, lightning, and even hail.  Our rainfall deficit is still basically untouched due to the fact that rainfall totals from this last batch of storms was not that impressive. 

   We may be entering into a new weather trend where scattered showers or possibly thunderstorms may be popping up more frequently.  Starting Sunday scattered showers move back into our forecast and that chance of rain (about a 20% – 30% chance) will be with us through the first part of next week. 

   Laura Huckabee / Meteorologist

Wednesday Night Update

Still tracking a strong line of storms currently moving through northern Oklahoma.  Much of the area is still under a severe thunderstorm watch until 4:ooam.  It looks like storms will start to enter northeast Oklahoma around midnight.

 

The biggest threat tonight with this system will be gusty winds as high as 60 miles per hour especially along the leading edge.  Winds as high as 60 miles per hour and down branches have already been reported in Oklahoma.  The tornado chance is minimal but there is also the potential for large hail.  This line should make it in to our region right around midnight and exit the region early Thursday morning. We will continue to monitor this situation in the weather center and you can also get updates from 4029tv.com.

Brittany Bell

You can follow us on twitter at @4029weather

Tonight’s Showers & Storms

It’s been another hot afternoon with highs in the upper 80′s and lower 90′s across the area; however, some relief from the heat is on the way for tonight as a cold front arrives.

Our weather pattern has turned very active over the last several days with several rounds of nocturnal showers and storms.  Our final round is expected after midnight tonight, and it will likely give the area widespread showers and storms.

Take a look at the storms already developing across Kansas.  Those storms will drop southeast and head straight across eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas after midnight. 

There is a slight risk for severe weather for the entire area.  Dime to nickel size hail and strong gusty winds to 60 mph are expected.  The storms tonight will be stronger than last night, and we do expect numerous severe weather warnings.

Drew Michaels

Follow us on Twitter at “4029weather”

Let’s Add It Up…

  If you were lucky enough to get rain overnight, you might be surprised to know that last night’s showers didn’t do much for our struggling rainfall deficit.

   I know that every little bit helps but I was a little disappointed to find that most of the reporting stations in our area got less than a tenth of an inch of rain.  Some of the two day totals look like this:

   Fayetteville  0.35 inches of rain

   Springdale  0.53 inches of rain

   Fort Smith  0.55 inches of rain

   Bentonville has a little more than a tenth of an inch of rain last night and Pea Ridge barely got 0.05…. Don’t give up hope, however.  There is a really good chance (70%) of showers overnight tonight – so by this time tomorrow morning I may have more impressive figures.

   Have a great day.

   Laura Huckabee / Meteorologist

Tuesday Night Update

We’re getting another round of showers and thunderstorms across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley tonight. The National Weather Service has just issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Benton county until 12:45am.  This storm is sliding to the southeast at 30 miles per hour and has the capability of producing quarter sized hail and winds gusting at 60 miles per hour.

Another area of concern is a strong cluster of storms moving to the southeast right on the heels of Le Flore county. The main issues with this segment will be gusty winds and hail.  This same cluster has a history of producing damaging winds and small hail. 

Le Flore county is still included in a severe thunderstorm watch until 1:00am.

It looks as if the severe threat will diminish overnight as storms continue to push to the east and southeast.  We have another round of strong storms expected to come through late tomorrow evening and overnight.  We’ll continue to keep you updated tonight and tomorrow in the 40/29 weather center.

10:45 P.M. Update….

Take a look at this line of showers and storms across northeastern Oklahoma.  The line of storms is moving east to southeast and will be moving across the area between 11 pm and 2 am. 

These storms have had the history of producing dime to nickel hail, along with gusty winds over 50 mph.  Storms could become marginally severe, but widespread severe weather is not anticipated.

Drew Michaels

Follow us on Twitter at “4029weather” 

Storm Chances For Wednesday Morning

If you have been crying about the heat (I’m including myself) we have to rejoice over a pattern change.  Thankfully, we are in a northwest flow pattern, and this time of the year that means complexes of showers and storms heading in our direction.

Some of the area picked up on rainfall this morning, but if you missed out on the rain, there will be a few more chances this week starting tonight.

Showers and storms have started to develop along a stationary boundary in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas.  These showers and storms are forecast to congeal into a complex and move southeast across the area tonight.  Most of the storms should hold off until after 10 p.m.  Storms should become better organized after the low-level jet develops after sundown.

These storms could contain strong gusty winds and small hail; however, there’s potential for locally heavy rainfall.  Storm systems like this can easily drop an inch of rain across the area.

More storms are forecast to develop again late Wednesday evening into Thursday morning!  It’s possible that the area picks up between 1 and 3 inches of rain through Thursday!

Drew Michaels

Follow us on Twitter at “4029weather”

Morning Showers

   Remember the little song that you, like I, may have sung as a young child?  It went something like this…”Rain, rain, go away… come again some other day….”  Instead of rain, rain go away — maybe we should change those lyrics to “rain, rain, come our way….Stay again another day”

   This morning we got some much needed rain.  There were two severe weather warnings that were issued during our deluge.  One of the severe thunderstorm warnings was in Benton county (northwest Washington county was also in that thunderstorm warning), as well as Logan and Yell counties.  Gusty winds, lightning, and hail were our biggest problems this morning. 

   Tuesday and Wednesday will bring additional opportunities for showers – hopefully they can ad to the rainfall totals I received from earlier today.  Ending at 7am this morning:

   Fayetteville  .31 inches of rain

   Springdale    .49 inches of rain

   Fort Smith    .51 inches of rain

   Westville       .15 inches of rain

   Winslow        .10 inches of rain

 

   Laura Huckabee / Meteorologist

Late Night Update

A line of storms has developed along a boundary in northeast Oklahoma.  There were a few severe thunderstom warnings issued earlier close to Oklahoma City but those have all been canceled.

These storms will continue to move to the east southeast overnight.  Some have the capability to produce pea sized hail and wind gusts of 40 miles per hour.  The severe threat is limited though right now as these storms continue to weaken.

We will continue to moniter this activity tonight in the 4029 weather center.

Brittany Bell