Possible tornadoes reported Monday in Arkansas River Valley

Robert Medley, Fort Smith Times Record
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Tornadic activity was reported in and around the Arkansas River Valley Monday afternoon and night, just two days into the new year.

A storm with rotation near northwest parts of Sallisaw in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma was moving toward the Arkansas state line late Monday night, according to reports. Sallisaw emergency responders did not report any injuries or damage.

Sequoyah County was under a tornado warning at 7:40 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service reported. A possible tornado was northwest of Sallisaw near McKey. Movement is northeast and headed toward Brushy, Akins, Stoney Point and U.S. 59.

Storms moved into Louisiana and Mississippi by early Tuesday.

In the Fort Smith area Monday night, a tornado watch was in effect for Sebastian County and Sequoyah and Le Flore counties in Oklahoma until 10 p.m. Possible rotation was reported near Pocola.

Earlier in the day, a possible tornado was reported moving northeast near Paris. A tornado watch was issued for much of western and central Arkansas during the afternoon, the National Weather Service reported.

TV reports showed rotation moving from Logan County into Johnson County. A tornado warning was issued for north, central Logan County and western parts of Johnson County, the weather service reported at 2:35 p.m.

Damage from a possible tornado was reported in Jessieville near Hot Springs Village in Garland County.

Earlier in the day Monday, meteorologists reported the area where tornadoes are more likely to occur was in southeast Oklahoma and west central Arkansas Monday afternoon and evening, the weather service reported. Parts of southern Sebastian County including Greenwood are in the area. Temperatures warmed into the 70s Monday.

Joe Sellers, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Tulsa office, said areas north of Interstate 40 in Arkansas and Oklahoma are not clear of the severe weather risk Monday night. All modes of severe weather were possible, he said.

Sellers said teams of meteorologists were surveying damage in Haskell and Sequoyah counties in eastern Oklahoma Tuesday.

On Friday, Dec. 30, The National Weather Service office in Tulsa reported equipment had failed in Fort Smith, affecting radar, but the repair has been made, Sellers said.

On Monday, the weather service reported the weather spotter network for the region was activated.

Crews from the Little Rock office were sent to survey damage in Jessieville, a meteorologist said Tuesday.

Calmer weather will move in for the rest of the week with mild temperatures and sunny skies, the weather service reports.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Tornadoes reportred in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas Monday