5:15 P.M. UPDATE:
A tornado warning issued earlier for portions of north-central Arkansas has been allowed to expire, according to the National Weather Service.
Counties included in that warning were Marion and Baxter.
As of 5:15 p.m., no warnings were active in the state, the agency's North Little Rock office said.
— Brandon Riddle
4:16 P.M. UPDATE:
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for parts of Arkansas.
Central Marion County and northwestern Baxter County, both in north-central Arkansas, are under the warning until 4:45 p.m., forecasters said.
A storm capable of producing a tornado was located over Lakeway, about 7 miles northwest of Yellville, about 4:15 p.m. and was moving east at 30 mph, according to the weather service.
—Jillian Kremer
11:55 A.M. UPDATE:
The northwest corner of Arkansas now faces an enhanced risk for weather to turn severe as part of a system that will begin moving through the state Thursday afternoon, meteorologists said.
Cities included in that area are Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Springdale. Forecasters say Northwest Arkansas faces the greatest potential for large hail, isolated tornadoes and damaging winds.
An enhanced risk carries a threat for numerous, more persistent storms with a few twisters and hail up to 2 inches in diameter, according to the National Weather Service.
— Brandon Riddle
11:15 A.M. UPDATE:
The National Weather Service in North Little Rock has expanded the threat for severe weather Thursday and into Friday to all but the southeast corner of Arkansas.
Meteorologists say most of the state faces a slight risk for weather to turn severe, meaning "unsettled conditions" could result in short-lived, isolated intense storms.
The primary threats associated with the weather system will be damaging winds and large hail, according to the weather service. While not a main risk, the agency said, isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
As of around 11 a.m. Thursday, storms were moving through eastern portions of Oklahoma and Texas. Scattered showers were reported in Arkansas at that time.
By the time storms leave the state Friday afternoon, up to 1.5 inches of rainfall is expected, especially across northern and southern counties. Some areas could see as much as 3 inches of rainfall.
In central Arkansas, including Little Rock, about 1 inch of precipitation is forecast.
The weather service said localized flash flooding will be possible with "some pockets of heavy rainfall" as part of the system.
— Brandon Riddle
EARLIER STORY:
NORMAN, Okla. — Savage thunderstorms brought hail and a few brief tornadoes to southwestern Oklahoma and the Caprock of the Texas Panhandle and South Plains.
The storms also brought some downpours that caused brief street flooding, especially in the Red River counties of Oklahoma. Storms also rumbled over the Edwards Plateau and rolling plains of West Texas, bringing window-rattling thunder and brief downpours to those areas.
There were no reports of significant damage from the Wednesday afternoon and evening storms as the dryline advanced across the plains before retreating after nightfall. However, the storm threat moves eastward Thursday, extending from northeastern Texas and eastern Oklahoma through Arkansas to the Ohio River Valley.
— The Associated Press