Springfield, MO – Residents across parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma are under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 6 p.m. CDT Saturday, as forecasters warn of storms capable of producing damaging winds and large hail through the afternoon.
According to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, the alert—Watch No. 623—covers more than 80 counties across the Ozarks and surrounding areas, including Benton, Washington, and Sebastian counties in Arkansas; Greene, Jasper, and Taney counties in Missouri; and Adair, Sequoyah, and Muskogee counties in Oklahoma.
Forecasters said storms are expected to intensify through midday as warm, unstable air interacts with an approaching cold front. “Any storm that develops could become severe quickly,” meteorologists cautioned in the latest update.
The watch area extends from northern Arkansas through southern Missouri and into eastern Oklahoma, with conditions favorable for 60+ mph wind gusts, one-inch hail, and frequent lightning. Heavy rain may also lead to brief localized flooding in low-lying areas.
Residents are urged to monitor weather alerts, move indoors when thunder roars, and secure outdoor objects that could blow away in high winds.
The storm system is expected to move eastward by this evening, bringing cooler, calmer conditions overnight.
