As of Sunday afternoon, Tropical Storm Nicholas was located in the Gulf of Mexico about 240 miles SSE of the mouth of the Rio Grande River, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The storm is expected to make landfall along the central Texas coast Monday Night or Tuesday, and move inland toward the ArkLaTex Region.
THE NWS said in a statement that Nicholas is NOT an immediate threat to Arkansas at this time. However, it is possible that Arkansas could see some effects from Nicholas toward mid to late week.
At this time, there is considerable uncertainty with regards to the forward speed and track of Nicholas. Should the current forecast track verify, Arkansas could see rainfall from the system as early as Wednesday. Beyond mid-week, depending on the track of Nicholas, there could be an increased chance of heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and potentially a few brief, weak tornadoes.
At this time, forecast confidence is LOW, especially with regards to timing. Any potential impacts from Nicholas will heavily depend on the track and forward speed of the system, and there is considerable uncertainty with regards to the system’s forward speed.
Meteorologists at NWS offices will continue to monitor and adjust the forecast based on the latest data.
