A wind advisory is set to take effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service said on Tuesday.
A wind advisory is issued when winds “are not so strong as to warrant a warning" and when "sustained winds of 25 mph or greater, lasting for an hour or more are expected,” a tweet from the weather service said.
Forecasters also expect strong winds to accompany the slight chance of severe thunderstorms the state could see on Wednesday, according to a weather service briefing.
The tweet suggested that Arkansans tie down outdoor objects, use caution when driving, and watch for blowing debris.
“Wind gusts outside of any thunderstorm activity could exceed 40 to 45 mph at times,” the briefing said. “These winds could bring down tree limbs or possibly trees themselves in areas where the ground remains saturated.”
Parts of Northwest Arkansas are at a slight risk of severe weather, too, the weather service said.
A slight risk means severe storms could produce hail, damaging winds or tornadoes, a tweet from the weather service office in North Little Rock said.
Other northwest and western parts of the state are at a marginal risk of severe weather, meaning storms could produce hail or damaging winds but only “possibly tornadoes,” the weather service said.
Many locations in the state are still expected to see rain and gusty winds, and thunderstorms are possible, the briefing said.