The weather forecast for the Magnolia area has been upgraded in severity to a winter storm warning.
The National Weather Service in Shreveport on Tuesday afternoon added Columbia and Union counties to the winter storm warning area that will be in effect until noon Wednesday.
Significant icing is expected. Additional ice accumulations of near a quarter of an inch is expected through late Wednesday morning.
Difficult travel conditions are possible. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.
Northern parts of Columbia County were already receiving sleet on Tuesday afternoon.
There may be minor flooding in low lying and poor drainage areas due to saturated soils. By this evening, light rain will transition to light freezing rain. Ice accumulations up to one tenth of an inch will be possible, resulting in travel impacts on bridges and overpasses.
Light freezing rain will remain possible on Wednesday morning, with additional ice accumulations possibly causing additional travel impacts to bridges and overpasses.
Wednesday afternoon into late Thursday, areas of rain will increase ahead of a slow moving upper level storm system shifting east from Northern Mexico/the Desert Southwest into the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley.
Widespread rainfall amounts of two to four inches are expected, with isolated higher amounts, which will result in the potential for flooding of low lying, poor drainage areas as well as additional rises on area waterways.
magnoliareporter.com has recorded 11.85 inches of rain during January.
Weather and road conditions will be worse to the north of Arkansas’ southernmost tier of counties.
Nevada, Hempstead, Howard and Sevier counties are under a winter storm warning until 9 a.m. Wednesday. Significant icing of near a quarter-inch is possible.
Ouachita, Calhoun and Bradley counties are part of an ice storm warning area that includes most of Arkansas north of a line from Stephens to Helena, and south of a line from Waldron to the Missouri Bootheel. Ice accruals between one-quarter and one-half inch, with sleet accumulations of less than a tenth of an inch.
The region has had heavy rainfall during January, which has saturated the ground. Ice in the forecast range may cause considerable damage to trees and could result in large-scale power failures.
Forecast ice accumulations will make travel dangerous or impossible in the affected region and travel is strongly discouraged. Commerce will likely be severely impacted. People who must travel should keep an extra flashlight, food and water in vehicles in case of an emergency.
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Ice accumulations and winds will likely lead to snapped power lines and falling tree branches that add to the danger.