The National Weather Service has increased and expanded the risk category for severe weather in northern and central Arkansas Thursday.
Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are forecast for much of central and northern Arkansas, including Little Rock, Jonesboro, Conway and Russellville, according to a news release from the weather service.
Severe weather conditions are expected to start mid afternoon Thursday and remain possible into the evening, according to the release.
The primary concern for the weather event is large hail between one and three inches in diameter. In the evening, the primary threat will shift from large hail to gusty winds in the Northeast corner of the state, the release states.
The tornado threat for this storm system is very low, and maximum wind speeds could reach 60 miles per hour, according to the service’s data.
Jesse Cain
Jesse Cain, a Little Rock native, is a U.S. Army combat veteran. He graduated as top senior from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s mass communication-journalism program and joined the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in 2023.
