The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for an area including Strawberry, Lynn and Smithville until 9:15 p.m.
A tornado warning also remained in effect until 9 p.m. for western Craighead County in northeastern Arkansas.
8:01 p.m .: Flood warnings issued for parts of Arkansas; tornado warnings end
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for part of southwest Arkansas that lasted most of Thursday night.
The warning covered areas including Mena, Booneville and Waldron, and was effective until 11:45 p.m. Thursday.
The announcement was made when tornado warnings around the state began to lapse.
7:32 p.m .: Tornado warnings issued for parts of Independence County, Jackson County
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for east-central Independence County in north-central Arkansas, and southeast Jackson County in east Arkansas, which is set to expire at 8 p.m.
The warning was inspired by a heavy thunderstorm over Hickory Ridge, about 17 miles southeast of Newport and moving northwest at 35 mph.
4:22 p.m .: Tornado warning issued for area including Saint Charles
The National Water Service issued a tornado warning for an area including Saint Charles, Snow Lake and Van that will expire at 5 p.m.
3:57 pm: Tornado warnings issued for Stuttgart, Almyra, Hazen, Ulm
The National Water Service issued a tornado warning for an area including Stuttgart and Almyra on Thursday afternoon. It is set to expire at 4.15pm
The weather service also issued a tornado warning for an area including Stuttgart, Hazen and Ulm that would expire at 4:30 p.m.
The number of Entergy Arkansas powerless customers grew to more than 38,000 at 3:45 p.m., including more than 4,000 in Pulaski County.
2.47pm: 32,000 Arkansans lose power
Entergy told customers Thursday afternoon that power outages in areas hardest hit by Laura could last days or even weeks, given the extent of damage across its service areas in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.
As of 2:45 p.m., more than 32,000 Entergy Arkansas customers were without power, according to an online dropout card. Hundreds of thousands more Entergy customers in Texas and Louisiana also experienced outages.
The company said restoration of power could be hindered or delayed by flooding and blocked roads, as well as precautionary measures from covid-19.
All lanes of eastern I-30 were briefly blocked Thursday afternoon by a downed tree just east of Hope, according to an online map of the Arkansas Department of Transportation at 2:30 p.m.
Several other highways in southern Arkansas were also blocked by downed trees, the department said.
In addition, Rock Region Metro announced that it will suspend all transit services on Thursday at 2.30pm ahead of strong winds which are expected to reach an unsafe level for buses.
Metro streetcar service has already been suspended as part of Metro’s covid-19 response.
[INTERACTIVE MAP: Hurricane tracker » arkansasonline.com/827tracker/]
12:39 p.m .: 15,000 Arkansans have no power
As of Thursday afternoon, more than 15,000 people in Arkansas were already without power, according to an exit map from Entergy Arkansas.
The outcrops were clustered along the southern border of the state when the storm began to move in the area. Customers in and around Magnolia and El Dorado have suffered the most power losses so far.
SWEPCO, which serves the far southwest and west of Arkansas, reported from the afternoon only a few dozen outages in the state.
The National Weather Service also extended its tropical storm warning to cover multiple counties: Arkansas, Desha and Prairie. The warning now includes Arkansas, Bradley, Calhoun, Clark, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Jefferson, Lincoln, Lonoke, Ouachita, Pike, Prairie, Pulaski and Saline.
[SCHOOL CLOSINGS: Get the latest on school closings in Arkansas» arkansasonline.com/827tracker/]EARLIER:
Much of the southern half of Arkansas is facing a tropical storm warning Thursday as the remnants of Hurricane Laura return to the Natural State.
The storm center is expected to cross the state early in the evening and Friday morning, bringing heavy rain, high winds and possible tornadoes.
Four to 6 inches of rain is forecast from southwest to central Arkansas, according to a letter from the National Weather Service in North Little Rock. Flash floods are possible over that area, but likely in southwest Arkansas and may require evacuations as rescues.
The weather service said water could enter homes and businesses, while streets and parking lots could become rivers of moving water, making driving dangerous.
Rivers and tributaries could flood their banks, while small streams and creeks could become dangerous rivers.
In mountainous areas, the weather service said, drainage could increase the chance of rocks and mudslides.
Gallery: Hurricane Laura forecast for Arkansas
In particular, the upper Saline and Ouachita rivers are expected to experience moderate flooding.
The storm is also expected to bring winds of up to 65 miles per hour to some parts of southwest and south-central Arkansas, including El Dorado. Winds up to 50 miles per hour are widely anticipated, from Texarkana to Searcy to Monticello. The area includes Little Rock.
The weather service expects wind damage to portals, awnings, sheds and anchored mobile homes. Large trees can be cut down and a few trees can be cut down or uprooted.
Scattered power outages are expected.
As for tornadoes, the time of greatest threat is expected by the weather service to be Thursday afternoon and evening.
Tornadoes are expected to live weaker and shorter lives than tornadoes associated with supercellular thunderstorms.
However, the weather service said Arkansas could still see roofs of buildings, turn over chimneys, push or flip mobile homes of foundations, cut large tree tops and branches, drop shallow root trees, move cars off roads, and tow boats from moorings.
The weather service advised Arkansans to be aware of this, as any deviation from the hurricane’s expected path could significantly change the forecast.
Little Rock City Offices will close today at 1 p.m., in preparation for Hurricane Laura, which is bringing heavy rain and wind to Central Arkansas.
In a news release, spokesman Lamor Williams said city waste has been delayed because crews have been reassigned to focus on garbage collection and recycling so residents can move streets and sidewalks ahead of the storm.
The city will also close its gates at Boyle Park and Kanis Park, where street intersections are often flooded during heavy rainfall.
Matt Burks, the city’s emergency manager, advised residents not to attempt to walk or drive through floodwaters.
“People underestimate the power and strength of water. Many of the deaths occur in cars downstream. Many of these drownings are preventable, ‘Burks said in the release. “Only 6 inches of fast-moving water can turn an adult around. It only takes 12 inches of play water to drive most cars away and just 2 feet of play water can drive SUVs and trucks away. ”
Information for this article was contributed by Rachel Herzog of the Arkansas Democratic Gazette.
This story was originally published at 11:18 p.m.
