There’s a chance that Sunday will be the first major chase day of the year. A moderate risk area has been identified.
The NWS issued this statement a little after 4 pm today.
419 PM CDT SAT APR 26 2014
…SEVERE STORMS LIKELY SUNDAY WITH A THREAT OF TORNADOES…
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN
EASTERN OKLAHOMA…LIKELY EAST OF A LINE FROM BARTLESVILLE TO
MCALESTER TO BOSWELL. THE STORMS MAY INITIALLY BE WIDELY SCATTERED
AS THEY INTENSIFY…BUT WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AFTER 5PM AS THE
STORMS MOVE TOWARD WESTERN ARKANSAS. THE STORMS WILL LIKELY REACH
THEIR GREATEST INTENSITY SUNDAY EVENING IN WESTERN ARKANSAS AND FAR
EASTERN OKLAHOMA. TORNADOES…WIND GUSTS TO 75 MPH AND 3 INCH HAIL
COULD OCCUR WITH THE MOST INTENSE CELLS.WHILE THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY RELATING TO THE SPECIFIC AREAS
THAT WILL BE AT MOST RISK…PARTS OF ARKANSAS AND PERHAPS EXTREME
EASTERN OKLAHOMA…ARE EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE LIFE-THREATENING
STORMS SUNDAY EVENING. THAT THREAT INCLUDES THE POTENTIAL FOR
STRONG AND POSSIBLY LONG-TRACK TORNADOES.IF YOU ARE IN ARKANSAS OR EXTREME EASTERN OKLAHOMA YOU SHOULD USE
THIS EVENING TO REVIEW YOUR SEVERE ACTIONS PLANS. THIS SHOULD BE
DONE NOT ONLY FOR YOUR HOME…BUT ALSO FOR WHERE YOU EXPECT TO BE
SUNDAY EVENING. THIS IS ALSO A GOOD TIME TO CHECK BATTERY-POWER
DEVICES AND ENSURE YOUR FAMILY CAN QUICKLY SEEK SHELTER IF
NECESSARY.
Stay weather aware.