Little Rock, Arkansas – A broad stretch of the Mid-South is facing a growing risk for strong to severe thunderstorms on Friday as unusually warm January air collides with an advancing cold front, raising concerns from Louisiana north through Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and into Kentucky.
According to the National Weather Service in Little Rock, there is currently a 15 percent chance of severe thunderstorms developing Friday afternoon and evening across eastern Arkansas as the front moves through the region. The primary concern at this time is strong, potentially damaging wind gusts that could exceed 60 mph, especially in more intense storms.
The area of concern extends east into western Tennessee, including the Memphis metro, and south into northern Mississippi, while western and central Kentucky remain under watch as the system progresses northward. While the severe threat is not expected to be widespread at this stage, even isolated storms could down trees, cause sporadic power outages, and create hazardous travel conditions on interstates such as I-40, I-55, and I-30.
Emergency managers urge residents to stay weather-aware through the week, ensure mobile alerts are enabled, and secure loose outdoor items ahead of Friday. Officials stress that confidence in exact impacts remains low this far out, and changes to the threat level are possible as the event draws closer.
Additional updates and potential alerts may be issued later this week as the system becomes better defined.
