River Valley three-day extended forecast and special weather statement

Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Tulsa OK 1106 AM CDT Tue Aug 8 2023 ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-091030- Adair OK-Benton AR-Carroll AR-Cherokee OK-Choctaw OK-Craig OK- Crawford AR-Creek OK-Delaware OK-Franklin AR-Haskell OK-Latimer OK- Le Flore OK-Madison AR-Mayes OK-McIntosh OK-Muskogee OK-Nowata OK- Okfuskee OK-Okmulgee OK-Osage OK-Ottawa OK-Pawnee OK-Pittsburg OK- Pushmataha OK-Rogers OK-Sebastian AR-Sequoyah OK-Tulsa OK-Wagoner OK- Washington OK-Washington AR- 925 AM CDT Tue Aug 8 2023 This Outlook is for Northwest and West Central Arkansas as well as much of Eastern Oklahoma. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. RISK...Limited. AREA...Northeast Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. ONSET...After Midnight Tonight. THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. RISK...Elevated. AREA...Eastern Oklahoma and west-central Arkansas. ONSET...Ongoing. FLASH FLOOD. RISK...Elevated. AREA...East-central and southeast Oklahoma. ONSET...Ongoing. DISCUSSION... Scattered showers with embedded thunderstorms continue across portions of eastern Oklahoma and west-central Arkansas this morning. Additionally, flooding from excessive rainfall is ongoing across east-central/ southeast Oklahoma. Precipitation should gradually end from west to east through the late morning hours and become increasingly spotty in nature. Isolated thunderstorms may continue across southeast Oklahoma this afternoon with a low chance of a strong or severe storm. Otherwise, partly cloudy skies are expected for the rest of the region. Additional storms will likely move into portions of northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas late tonight, along and ahead of an approaching cold front. Some storms may be strong to severe and produce damaging winds and large hail. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... Local Spotter Activation May Be Needed. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. WEDNESDAY...Severe Thunderstorm Potential...High Wind Potential...Dangerous Heat Potential...Heavy Rain Potential. THURSDAY through MONDAY...Thunderstorm Potential...Dangerous Heat Potential. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... The threat for severe thunderstorms will increase further Wednesday afternoon and evening, as a potent upper level storm system swings through the Central Plains. Instability and wind fields will support a threat for large hail to the size of golf balls, damaging wind gusts to 70 mph and a few tornadoes. Thunderstorms should shift east of the area by midnight. Heat and humidity will make a return to the region for the latter half of the week, with widespread heat index values above 105 forecast Wednesday and again Friday, lasting through the weekend. Heat advisories and warnings may be required for parts of the area through this period. The upper level pattern will also support continued nightly thunderstorm activity beginning Thursday night, especially across northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas. weather.gov/tulsa contains additional information.