Portions of Arkansas could see severe thunderstorms while other areas will likely be grappling with dangerous heat Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.
Much of the state's northern and central regions are included in a marginal threat for severe weather during the afternoon and evening hours, according to the agency’s North Little Rock office.
Rainfall, heavy at times, had already entered central Arkansas by 10:50 a.m. No warnings were active in the area, including Little Rock, at that time.
The primary potential hazards during the day will be damaging winds, hail and localized heavy rainfall. A marginal risk carries the possibility of isolated severe storms with winds up to 60 mph and hail up to 1 inch in diameter.
The weather service's Shreveport office cautioned that lighting also poses a risk Wednesday.
A heat advisory, meanwhile, is in place from noon to 8 p.m. for three counties in western Arkansas: Crawford, Franklin and Sebastian.
“Hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are possible,” the weather service said in a statement.
Wednesday’s highs are set to be in the upper 80s to mid 90s across most of the state. In Little Rock, the high temperature is forecast at 92 degrees.
Forecasters say heat index values, which measure how hot the air feels when humidity is factored in, will be between 105 and 109 degrees this afternoon.