Van Buren, Arkansas 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

379
FXUS64 KTSA 022346
AFDTSA

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tulsa OK
646 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 643 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025

  - Severe storm chances diminish this afternoon, but return
    tonight into Thursday morning across SE OK and W-Central AR.

  - Rain chances continue through the weekend with heavy rain and flood
    potential increasing, especially across SE OK and W-Central
    AR.

  - Much cooler weather arrives this weekend, with rain possibly
    mixing with snow Sunday morning. A freeze is expected in some
    locations Sunday or Monday mornings.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(The rest of this afternoon )
Issued at 127 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025

Lingering storms will exit the forecast area the next couple of
hours with clearing skies expected for all areas. Temperatures
will remain quite warm this afternoon, generally in the mid 70s to
low 80s. Dew points are dropping as drier air moves in from the
west. Breezy westerly winds will continue through sundown, and
then diminish.

Overnight tonight we will see increasing clouds as the next wave of
the storm system approaches. Showers and thunderstorms will build
across southeast OK after midnight, spreading up through most areas
southeast of I-44 by dawn. A few elevated and marginally severe
storms could develop in southeast Oklahoma, with wind and hail the
dominant threats.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Tonight through Wednesday)
Issued at 127 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025

A deep upper level trough will remain to the west of the area
Thursday through Saturday, with continuous warm and moist advection
resulting in additional waves of showers and thunderstorms. This
activity will be ongoing Thursday morning, focusing across
southeast OK and west-central AR. Storms will then spread north
by the late morning or early afternoon. The severe threat will be
lower Thursday than today for several reasons. Perhaps most
importantly, the near surface boundary is expected to be south of
the forecast area, which would limit our access to the most
unstable air. Even so, a few embedded lines of strong to severe
storms may develop, with wind or hail being relatively more likely
threats. Shower and storm activity will then diminish Thursday
evening into Friday morning.

The next period of activity will arrive Friday morning as the low
level jet ramps up. By this time, the low level boundary will be
lifting to the north, perhaps as far north as a line from Tulsa
through Joplin. Areas near and south of this boundary will see a
dual severe and flood threat. In terms of severe potential, the
low level jet will result in significantly curved hodographs, with
significantly instability south of the boundary. The upper level
winds at and above 500 hPa will be near the 99th percentile for
this time of year, which will aid in storm ventilation. Based on
these factors, severe weather may develop. Precipitable water and
integrated vapor transport will remain near the climatological
max for this time of year, so widespread heavy rain is
anticipated. The heaviest rain is expected to focus across
southeast OK into west- central AR.

Portions of northeast OK may dry out Friday evening, but rain may
continue for southeast OK and northwest AR into Saturday when the
next upper level wave arrives. Once again, all areas will see
rain, but the heavier rainfall will focus across the southeast
portions of the forecast area. Rain finally winds down by Sunday
morning. Northeast OK will see a storm total of 2-4", with 4-6"
for the rest of the area. If localized banding of heavy rainfall
is persistent, locally up to 8" of rain could occur.
Unsurprisingly, the EPS EFI has values of 0.8 to 0.9 for Friday
and Saturday overlapping the axis of heaviest rainfall. This will
result in both river and flash flooding. Numerous rivers are
expected to see flooding, with localized moderate to major
flooding possible if any of these corridors of heaviest rain
intersect flood susceptible basins. Flash Flooding would be
expected for the same reasons. A Flood Watch was issued for the
highest confidence threat corridors, but may need to be expanded
later depending on forecast trends.

It`s worth noting that the air will be anomalously cool on the
backside of the trough. Some guidance even mixes or turns rain to
snow for a few locations north of I-40 Sunday morning. While no
impacts are expected, it nonetheless represents a dramatic swing
in sensible conditions. A minor frost or freeze may also occur
north of I-40 for typically cold locations Sunday or Monday
morning. The forecast looks to dry out through at least the first
half of next week, with primarily northwest flow aloft keeping
temperatures slow to warm through the week.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 643 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025

VFR conditions will prevail into Thursday morning, with ceilings
lowering to MVFR from south to north during the day Thursday.
Areas of showers and a few thunderstorms will develop late
tonight, initially potentially affecting KMLC and KFSM, with a
spread to the north during the day Thursday. The greatest
coverage of precipitation will be at the southeast Oklahoma and
northwest Arkansas sites.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TUL   51  62  50  61 /  20  80  50 100
FSM   55  65  57  77 /  50  90  70 100
MLC   52  64  56  71 /  70  90  70 100
BVO   45  62  46  58 /  20  80  30 100
FYV   48  64  52  73 /  30  80  60 100
BYV   50  62  51  69 /  30  80  50 100
MKO   51  63  53  66 /  30  80  60 100
MIO   49  59  50  60 /  20  80  40 100
F10   50  62  52  62 /  40  90  60 100
HHW   55  66  60  74 /  80  90  90 100

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...Flood Watch from late Thursday night through Sunday morning for
     OKZ049-053-063-068>076.

AR...Flood Watch from late Thursday night through Sunday morning for
     ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...06
LONG TERM....04
AVIATION...05