textproduct: Little Rock

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 230 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2026

- Showers and thunderstorms are expected today; large hail and damaging winds are the primary hazards

- Showers and thunderstorms are expected again Tuesday and Wednesday; large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes are possible

- Quiet weather is expected Thursday through the weekend

DISCUSSION

Issued at 230 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2026

Expansive stratus deck was overspreading the state from the S this morning as low-level moisture advection was well underway. Temps ranged from the lower 50s to lower 60s. Dew pts ranged from upper 40s (Nrn AR) to lower 60s (Srn AR).

Today, a low amplitude upper short-wave trough will track across the state triggering scattered showers and thunderstorms this morning into the early afternoon hours. Some of these storms could become strong to severe with large hail and damaging winds the primary hazards. Temps today are expected to climb into the lower to upper 70s. Dew pt temps are anticipated to creep into the mid/upper 60s over the Srn two-thirds of the state. Storms are initially expected to develop over SW AR, elevated in nature, posing a large hail threat with storms following the mean wind from the W. SBCIN should decrease through the morning hours allowing storms to become increasingly surface based as this activity moves Ewrd. EBWD is expected to range from 20-45 kts, sufficient for sustaining updrafts. SBCAPE and MLCAPE profiles of 1000-1500 J/Kg should drive the large hail potential and a damaging wind threat. Midday hodographs feature modest clockwise curvature in the lowest portion of the atmosphere posing a low end chance of a tornado or two but would be more favorable for deviate SErly moving cells. The bulk of convection should move into far E and SE AR by early afternoon. Precipitation should wind down during the afternoon and early evening hours as these storms grow upscale into a complex or cluster of storms. The main areas to be impacted by strong to severe storms would be the SE half of AR. Rain chances dramatically decrease across NW and N-Cntrl AR.

The pattern will remain active on Tuesday and Wednesday as an upper level trough and associated closed low eject into the Srn Plains. Large scale forcing for ascent will overspread the region. As upper level impulses move through the flow in conjunction with large scale background ascent, showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop Tuesday afternoon into the overnight period. AR will reside fully within the warm sector. SBCAPE and MLCAPE is expected to range from 1000-1500 J/Kg with 0-1km and 0-3km storm relative helicity of 150 m2/s2 and 200 m2/s2 respectively. EBWD is anticipated to increase from 30 kts Tuesday afternoon to 60 kts Tuesday night. If storms can remain discrete, all modes of severe weather will be possible including large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected on Wednesday as the aforementioned upper trough passes over the region atop a trailing surface cold front. Thinking forcing for ascent will be robust leading to storms quickly growing upscale into a cluster or QLCS. All modes of severe weather will be possible once again however heavy rain may be the most notable feature Wednesday. Where storms train, isolated flash flooding will be possible. Rainfall amounts of 1-3" is anticipated through Wednesday across a large part of AR. Locally higher rainfall amounts are possible.

Beyond Wednesday, a cold front will push across the area beneath NW flow aloft. This front will bring tranquil conditions back into the region for several days. High temps on Thursday should be coolest through the period with readings topping out in the 50s and 60s under the influence of high pressure and light Nrly winds. Thereafter, temps will climb back into the 70s to lower 80s on SWrly surface winds as the surface high departs the region to the E.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 610 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2026

LIFR/IFR/MVFR ceilings will prevail across central and southern terminals through most of the forecast period. VFR ceilings across northern terminals will drop to MVFR later this morning and prevail through the rest of the forecast period. Showers and thunderstorms over eastern Oklahoma will move east into the state in the next couple of hours. Showers and storms impacts will be confined to central and southern terminals. South to southwest winds will become gusty at times later this morning into the afternoon hours. MVFR/IFR ceilings will persist into Monday night with some patchy IFR ceilings possible. Winds will become light by Monday night at all terminals.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Batesville AR 75 64 80 64 / 40 10 40 70 Camden AR 77 64 81 64 / 80 20 20 40 Harrison AR 78 63 80 58 / 20 0 50 90 Hot Springs AR 75 64 78 63 / 80 30 30 70 Little Rock AR 75 65 80 65 / 70 20 30 60 Monticello AR 77 66 83 67 / 90 30 10 20 Mount Ida AR 75 64 78 62 / 70 30 50 80 Mountain Home AR 78 62 81 60 / 20 0 40 90 Newport AR 75 65 80 66 / 60 20 40 70 Pine Bluff AR 76 65 81 65 / 90 30 20 40 Russellville AR 77 63 81 64 / 40 20 50 90 Searcy AR 76 62 81 64 / 70 20 40 70 Stuttgart AR 75 65 79 66 / 80 30 20 40

LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.