Laura Likely To Visit Arkansas

We won't have 2 hurricanes in the Gulf at the same time making landfall. But as we all know too well, it only takes one. The one is Laura. It's increasingly likely Laura will impact Arkansas Thursday. Marco could bring a few areas of rain to far southern Arkansas Tuesday, but it's weakening and won't have a direct impact on our weather.

Track is EVERYTHING for our state and to a degree, strength too. I'm not a farmer, but I have heard the combo of high winds and heavy rain is not good for rice.

As of today, the current track is NOT good for our state. Laura may become a strong to major hurricane in the Gulf. While it will lose quite a bit of its wind energy moving over land, tropical storm force winds could be possible. Also, models bring several inches of rain to the state. I'll say it again, again, and again. TRACK IS EVERYTHING! If Laura shifts west, we're still in trouble. If it goes east, we're in better shape. As of today, I don't like what I see. The current track is favorable for heavy rain, wind, and isolated tornadoes.

The EURO is a computer model and NOT a forecast. If the track changes, the axis of the heavy rain changes too.

This is the GFS and not a forecast. If the track changes, the heavy rain axis changes too.

The Weather Prediction Center forecast has the heaviest rain east and south of the state, but still 2-4'' in Arkansas.

There's a good chance for tropical storm force winds over southern Arkansas Thursday. If the strength of this storm changes, this will too.

In summary, Marco will not be much of a factor in Arkansas. It's all Laura. It's increasingly likely we'll see heavy rain, wind, and isolated Tornadoes Thursday due to the current projected track. Stay with KATV Channel 7 for any changes this week.