High winds knock out electricity, topple trees

Straight-line winds of up to 75 mph whipped through central Arkansas late Wednesday, knocking out power to more than 32,000 customers in Pulaski County and nearly 80,000 statewide.

National Weather Service forecaster Jeff Hood said the storm had been pushing through Arkansas throughout the day, leaving behind a trail of downed trees and power lines.

“It really just came right across the central part of [Pulaski] County, down I-30 through the heart of Little Rock and up through Jacksonville with wind speeds of at least 60 mph,” Hood said. “Some pockets will have stronger wind gusts.”

Hood said the National Weather Service had seen “quite a bit” of damage reports throughout the day, though those were primarily downed trees and some power lines.

The Arkansas Department of Transportation said in a release late Wednesday that downed trees had blocked traffic on Interstate 440 near mile marker 7.3 east of Little Rock, U.S. 67 near Exit 16A, U.S. 270 west of Arkansas 227 and Interstate 530 at Dixon Road.

The Department of Transportation also reported multiple downed power lines across U.S. 63 north of U.S. 62 in Fulton County and U.S. 70 east of Arkansas 88 in Saline County.

Entergy Arkansas’ power-failure maps showed widespread failures across Pulaski County and 79,700 customers without power statewide.

Several severe thunderstorm warnings were still in effect as of 11 p.m. Wednesday. Hood said the majority of the severe weather would pass through the state by morning. Storms are not expected to return to central Arkansas until Monday.