Ponca, Arkansas

... Flash Flood Watch remains in effect through Thursday morning...

The Flash Flood Watch continues for

* portions of central Arkansas... eastern Arkansas... north
central Arkansas... southeast Arkansas... southwest Arkansas and
western Arkansas... including the following areas... in central
Arkansas... Conway... Faulkner... Garland... Grant... Lonoke...
Perry... Pope... prairie... Pulaski... Saline... white and Yell. In
eastern Arkansas... Jackson... Monroe and Woodruff. In north
central Arkansas... Baxter... Boone... Cleburne... Fulton...
Independence... Izard... Marion... Newton... Searcy... sharp...
stone and Van Buren. In southeast Arkansas... Arkansas...
Bradley... Cleveland... Desha... Drew... Jefferson and Lincoln. In
southwest Arkansas... Calhoun... Clark... Dallas... Hot Spring...
Ouachita and Pike. In western Arkansas... Johnson... Logan...
Montgomery... Polk and Scott.

* Through Thursday morning

* rain will be heavy at times tonight through Thursday morning.
Widespread two to three inch amounts are expected... with locally
over four inches possible. This may cause flash flooding in
some areas.

* Vegetation has become mostly dormant... and will not use nearly
as much water as during the growing season. Given this... rain
will not go into the soil as readily... with high water
problems becoming more of a concern.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead
to flash flooding. Monitor later forecasts and be prepared to
take action if flash flood warnings are issued.

... Lake Wind Advisory now in effect from 6 am Thursday to 6 PM
CST Friday...

The lake Wind Advisory is now in effect from 6 am Thursday to
6 PM CST Friday.

* Winds will increase on Thursday... and will remain strong and
gusty Thursday night and Friday.

* South to southeast winds at 15 to 25 mph on Thursday will shift
to the west and southwest during the afternoon... and will
increase to 25 to 35 mph. Gusts could exceed 40 mph. Given
this... a Wind Advisory may need to be posted for the Thursday
afternoon and evening time frame. West winds at 15 to 25 mph
will continue on Friday.

* Windy conditions will create dangerous conditions on area bodies
of water. Small craft will be especially prone to capsizing. If
wind gusts become strong enough... trees and power lines may be
downed in some areas Thursday afternoon and evening.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

Boaters will need to exercise extreme caution if they decide to
go out on the water. Remember... due to reduced friction... winds
over open water are stronger than those reported at stations on
land.

... Record daily maximum rainfall set at North Little Rock...

a record rainfall of 3.56 inches was set at North Little Rock
today. This breaks the old record of 1.70 set in 2002.

... 2009 now the wettest year on record at Little Rock...

As of 840 PM CST tonight... the yearly rainfall total at Little Rock
Adams Field stood at 75.61 inches. This makes 2009 the wettest year
on record.

The five wettest years on record are listed below...

    year amount
1. 2009 - 75.61 inches /as of 840 PM CST this evening/
2. 1882 - 75.54 inches
3. 1973 - 74.39 inches
4. 1884 - 71.20 inches
5. 1957 - 70.61 inches


As of 840 PM CST tonight... the yearly rainfall total at North Little
Rock stood at 74.00 inches. The old record was 63.65 inches set in
1990. That record was surpassed in ocotber.

Rainfall will continue across the area throughout the rest of the
evening. Thus... the final rainfall total for the day will be
calculated just after midnight.