Periods of torrential rainfall have drenched parts of the Plains and the lower Mississippi Valley over the past day or two, with some areas receiving 5 inches or more of rainfall.
Like boxcars on a train, additional rounds of excessive rainfall will hit many of the same areas into Thursday, keeping the likelihood of at least minor supply chain delays in the picture.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has already issued flash flood warnings Wednesday morning in northwestern Arkansas, including the Russellville area, where law enforcement officers have reported water across some roads.
Rainfall rates have been 1 to 2 inches per hour. At these rates, creeks, streams and small rivers can rise quickly. This results in flooding, especially in poor drainage and low-lying areas.
A nearly stationary front is stuck over the region, and there’s plenty of humidity in the air. Small disturbances called “short waves” will move along the front from time to time, creating instability and more periods of heavy rainfall. New rainfall totals could be more than 4 inches again in many of the same areas that have been soaked.
Target areas still include Oklahoma City; Dallas, Fort Worth and Texarkana, Texas; Fort Smith, Little Rock and Jonesboro, Arkansas; as well as points in between these cities. The NWS has issued a flash flood watch for these areas, which lasts through Thursday morning.
So far Wednesday, no interstate sections in the region are closed due to flooding. However, according to state departments of transportation, some state routes in Arkansas and Oklahoma have been shut down due to high water. Additional closures are possible over the next day or two.
Due to disruptions to the freight market from Hurricane Laura, FreightWaves is providing free access to key features of SONAR through Friday, Sept. 4. Click here to learn more.
