EL DORADO – The National Weather Service has issued Tornado Watch 109 for a wide portion of South Arkansas, in effect until 10 p.m. CDT. The watch covers 20 counties, including Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Columbia, Dallas, Drew, Hempstead, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lincoln, Little River, Miller, Monroe, Nevada, Ouachita, and Union counties.

This means that conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Residents should remain weather aware throughout the evening as storms continue to develop and move through the region.

If a Tornado Warning is issued for your area, it means a tornado has either been spotted or indicated by radar. If that happens, follow these safety instructions immediately:

• Seek shelter in a sturdy building, ideally in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor away from windows.

• Avoid mobile homes or vehicles—they offer little protection in tornadoes.

• If caught outside with no shelter, lie flat in a low-lying area or ditch, covering your head with your hands.

• Keep a weather radio or your phone nearby with alerts enabled, and do not wait until you see the tornado to act.

SouthArkansasNow.Com is closely monitoring this developing weather situation. If severe thunderstorms begin to move into our coverage area, we will activate emergency weather coverage, including live updates, storm tracking, and shelter information across all our platforms.

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Stay tuned to local weather stations, the National Weather Service, and SouthArkansasNow.Com for continued updates. Be safe and stay weather aware.

MAGNOLIA – Severe storms erupted across South Arkansas late Wednesday afternoon, bringing hail, damaging winds, and multiple tornado warnings, including a confirmed tornado near the Southern Arkansas University campus in Magnolia.

The storms began developing shortly after a Tornado Watch was expanded to include Union and Columbia Counties. By 4:00 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Eastern Union County, prompting South Arkansas Now to activate its live emergency coverage. Storm chaser Sandy Sanford tracked the storm into the Strong area, where he observed dime-sized hail and wind gusts near 60 mph. While no major damage was reported, a fallen tree briefly blocked U.S. Highway 82 west of Strong.

Around 5:45 p.m., a Tornado Warning was briefly issued for Southeastern Columbia County, but weakening storm cells led to a swift cancellation.

As the storm system pushed east from Northeast Texas, a series of tornado warnings began around 6:15 p.m. for Miller and Lafayette Counties, with radar indicating a rotating storm near Garland City. Not long after, Northern Columbia County went under a tornado warning, which soon expanded to include the city of Magnolia after emergency managers spotted a tornado near Lake Erling.

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South Arkansas Now’s Sandy Sanford visually confirmed the tornado on live video, tracking it just south of Waldo before it passed approximately a quarter-mile north of the SAU campus. The warning was then extended into Ouachita County, where Sanford reported a funnel cloud over Stephens moving toward Camden. While no additional touchdowns were confirmed, the storm maintained its strength through the area. A final tornado warning was issued around 8:30 p.m. for Calhoun and Dallas Counties. All warnings were allowed to expire by 9:30 p.m.

Elsewhere in the state, multiple tornado emergencies were issued. In Craighead County, a large and destructive tornado devastated Bay and Lake City, destroying several homes. Pictures and videos of the massive twister quickly spread across social media.

More severe weather is expected today in South Arkansas, with continued risks of large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. Residents are urged to remain alert and have multiple ways to receive warnings.

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Follow South Arkansas Now for continuing updates and live coverage as storms unfold.

EL DORADO – Residents across Southern Arkansas are urged to stay weather-aware today as the threat of severe storms intensifies across the region.

According to the National Weather Service, the highest risk for severe weather extends across areas of Southwest Arkansas, where an enhanced risk (Level 3 of 5) has been issued. The threat will persist from this morning through the evening hours.

All modes of severe weather are possible, including:

• Isolated strong tornadoes

• Damaging wind gusts over 60 mph

• Large hail up to golf ball size or greater

A broader look across the state shows that much of Southern and Central Arkansas is under a 10% or greater risk for significant severe weather. That includes very large hail (2 inches or more in diameter) and strong tornadoes rated EF2 or higher. These threats are especially prominent within the hatched areas marked by the National Weather Service.

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Storms are expected to develop along and north of the I-20 corridor, with activity likely to spread northeast throughout the afternoon and evening. Communities in and around El Dorado, Camden, Magnolia, and Hope should monitor local forecasts and have multiple ways to receive warnings.

Meteorologists are urging residents to review their severe weather safety plans, especially as storms may move through after dark when threats can be harder to detect.

You can follow SouthArkansasNow.Com on social media for the latest severe weather updates. In the event of a tornado warned storm, Sandy Sanford and Grant Merrill will provide continuous live coverage via our live video feeds until the danger has moved out of South Arkansas.

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EL DORADO – Emergency officials are warning residents in Southern and Eastern Arkansas to remain alert as excessive rainfall threatens to bring flash flooding to the region through the weekend.

According to the National Weather Service in Little Rock, a Moderate Risk (Level 3 of 4) for excessive rainfall is in place today across Ouachita, Calhoun, and surrounding counties, while Union County is under a Slight Risk (Level 2 of 4). These risk categories, issued by the Weather Prediction Center, indicate increasing chances of flash flooding based on forecast rainfall amounts and ground conditions. A Slight Risk (Level 2) suggests scattered flash flooding is possible, while a Moderate Risk (Level 3) signals that flash flooding is more likely and may be widespread, especially in flood-prone or urban areas.

Rain is expected to fall in multiple waves through at least Saturday, with up to 6 to 8 inches forecast for much of central and southern Arkansas. Heavier totals of 8 to 10 inches are possible in eastern parts of the state, where ground saturation from previous storms could lead to faster runoff and overwhelmed drainage systems.

Flash flooding concerns escalated late Wednesday after a line of tornado-warned storms swept across South Arkansas. During South Arkansas Now’s live emergency coverage, storm chaser Sandy Sanford documented standing water in several low-lying areas near Camden, capturing the images live as heavy rains from the storms pounded the region.

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“Some of these spots were already under water by the time the warnings expired,” Sanford reported. “That much rain, that quickly, has nowhere to go.”

The National Weather Service advises residents never to drive through flooded roadways, reminding them to “Turn around, don’t drown.” Even a small amount of moving water can be dangerous to walk or drive through. Those living in flood-prone areas should have a plan in place and be ready to move to higher ground if needed.

The National Weather Service urges everyone in South Arkansas to keep a close eye on changing weather conditions as storms redevelop throughout Thursday and Friday.

For continuing coverage, follow South Arkansas Now on social media and at southarkansasnow.com for real-time updates, live video, and emergency alerts.

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LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has declared a state of emergency in response to a wave of severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that began sweeping across the state Wednesday, causing widespread damage and hazardous conditions.

In her executive order, Sanders cited the storms’ immediate threat to public safety and the resulting hardship to citizens and property across the state. The declaration allows the state to mobilize resources for disaster response and grants temporary exemptions to certain transportation regulations to aid in recovery efforts.

“Great hardship has fallen upon citizens and properties in the State of Arkansas,” the declaration states. “Weather-related damage includes numerous downed power lines, creating the need for commercial vehicles to haul heavy equipment, oversized loads, transformers, necessary hardware, and other transmission and distribution equipment to line crews for the purpose of restoring power.”

The order temporarily suspends regulations that would otherwise restrict commercial drivers and utility vehicles from bypassing weigh stations or operating under extended driving limits. Emergency response vehicles such as utility trucks and electric supply trucks are permitted to bypass Arkansas Department of Transportation weigh stations through April 16, 2025. However, the order does not override all permit or size and weight restrictions.

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Additionally, Gov. Sanders invoked emergency executive powers to suspend any regulatory statutes or rules that could “prevent, hinder, or delay actions necessary in coping with the emergency.”

The declaration directs all state agencies to provide maximum assistance to the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management to ensure a rapid and effective response.

The emergency order is in effect until April 16 unless extended or amended. The storms, which have triggered tornado watches and warnings across much of southern Arkansas and the ArkLaTex region, are part of a broader system expected to bring heavy rainfall and severe weather across the Midwest and South over the coming days.

Residents are urged to remain alert, follow weather updates, and take proper precautions as storm conditions continue to evolve across the state.

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