The National Weather Service has issued multiple severe weather warnings and watches for the area.
A tornado watch was issued about 2:45 p.m. for much of the area including Bowie, Red River, Titus and Cass counties in Texas and Hempstead, Little River Howard, Miller, Lafayette, Sevier and others in Arkansas. The watch is in effect until 10 p.m.
Little River, Howard, Sevier, McCurtain, Red River and Bowie counties are under a flash flood warning until 7:45 p.m. today.
A flood warning is also in effect for the Sulphur River near Naples, Texas, until further notice, or until the warning is canceled. The river's stage was 29.4 feet about 8:15 a.m. today. Minor flooding is occurring.
"Emergency management officials reported heavy rain across the warned area. Four to 8 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring with emergency management reporting flooded and closed roadways in the Broken Bow, Okla., area. Broken Bow Lake has reported 4.89 inches of rain, with heavy rain ongoing," the warning states.
Places that will experience flooding include De Queen, Dierks, Horatio, Lockesburg and Umpire, Ark.; Idabel, Broken Bow and Haworth, Okla., and other cities. Another 2 to 4 inches of rain was expected.
The NWS also issued a flash flood watch through Saturday morning for Hempstead, Howard, Little River, Miller, Nevada and Sevier counties in Southwest Arkansas; McCurtain County in Southeast Oklahoma; and Bowie and Red River counties in Texas.
The NWS cautions that "thunderstorms containing heavy rainfall are expected to continue" across the watch area. "Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated amounts in excess of 6 inches" are expected during the watch period, the watch states.
"Given that grounds remain saturated from ongoing rains, this additional heavy rainfall has the potential to enhance runoff and result in flash flooding," it states, adding the rainfall will cause area rivers and lakes to rise significantly.
NWS recommends that residents in the watch area monitor forecasts and be prepared to take action, should the watch be changed to a warning.
Those in a flash flood warning area are urged to turn around when encountering flooding on roads.
Just after 2 a.m. today, hail was seen near Hooks and New Boston, Texas, with quarter-size hail reported at Red River Army Depot Fire Department.
Quarter-size hail was reported about 2:28 a.m. by Red River Army Depot Fire Department, and the public reported hail more than 3/4 inch in diameter in New Boston.