Barry could bring heavy rains to area

A potential for heavy rain and flooding may arise as Tropical Storm Barry moves inland over Southern Arkansas this weekend.

Barry was expected to become a hurricane by Friday night or Saturday morning. By the time it reaches Southern Ark., it should be a tropical depression, said Charlie Woodrum, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, La., during a live update Friday morning.

The rain and wind from Barry should reach this area Saturday night into Sunday morning.

“We are watching Barry closely as it has the potential to bring heavy rain and tropical storm force winds,” said.

Barry is on a slightly more western track than it was Thursday. The good news for Texarkana, however, is that the system appears to be moving slightly east of the area, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.

“It is trending further east. That’s good for us. We want to be on the west side,” said Aaron Stevens, meteorologist with NWS. The west side of a hurricane means weaker winds and dryer air, Stevens said.

“As this thing shifts east, total rainfall amounts should go down,” he said.

Texarkana should still expect to receive between one and two inches rain with areas east of Texarkana receiving as much as four inches, Stevens said.

Information released Friday,

showed Texarkana receiving between one and one and a half inches, Hope, Ark., receiving about two inches and the El Dorado, Ark., area receiving about four inches.

This threat will be lower farther west across Northeast Texas and Southeast Okla.

However, rainfall amounts always depend on how the storm is set up and whether or not it stalls out over an area.

Winds from the system could be between 30 and

40 mph.

Meteorologist advise people to be weather alert this weekend and keep up with updates in case of the storm changing course.

For more information visit weather.gov or the NWS Shreveport Facebook page for live updates.

After Monday, expect a typical summertime pattern to resume with mainly afternoon thunderstorms each day through midweek.

Associated Press ■ Alfred Bartholomew of the Bayou Vista community takes a break Friday from helping Morgan City, La., residents fill sandbags. “I came here with my truck to help my family and then started helping others fill bags,” he said. “Isn’t that what we are supposed to do, help our fellow man?”