Rain in forecast this week raises flood warnings

Jackson County keeping eye on water-weakened levee

Heavy rain entered central Arkansas on Tuesday, and the eastern half of the state is under a flash flood watch with heavier amounts of rain expected later this week, according to the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.

Major flood warnings were issued Tuesday for parts of the White and Cache rivers in northeast Arkansas. Also, minor flood warnings were issued for the Black and Mississippi rivers in eastern Arkansas, as well as the Ouachita River in south-central Arkansas.

The weather service said it expects conditions to clear up today in central and northeast Arkansas before heavy rain returns later in the week. As much as 6-8 inches of rain is forecast for northeast Arkansas.

“That weather prediction is for the next seven days,” said Chuck Rickard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in North Little Rock. “That total won’t hit all at once.”

Jackson County officials in northeast Arkansas are keeping a close eye on the forecast after heavy rains last week weakened a levee along the White River near Newport, putting some 30 homes downstream at risk.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson ordered the National Guard to the area over the weekend. Crews have covered the levee in plastic to slow further erosion from the swift currents, and helicopters were used to position more than 60 sandbags around the levee to fortify it.

Jackson County’s County Judge Jeff Phillips said the National Guard plans to drop more sandbags today.

“We probably won’t be able to fix this permanently until summer, when it dries up,” Phillips said. “Right now all we can do is constantly watch the weather because we haven’t even gotten to the March rains yet.

“Hopefully all this rain will slow down soon. We need a break.”

The National Weather Service also issued a winter weather advisory Tuesday for Benton, Washington, Carroll and Madison counties in Northwest Arkansas, effective until 6 a.m. today.