Tornadoes reported in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Strong winds and tornadoes have been reported in Arkansas as storms move through parts of the South and Midwest.

The National Weather Service says it received reports of possible tornadoes in Arkansas, Dallas, Lonoke, Prairie and Cleveland counties Sunday night.

There were no reports of any injuries.

The storms also brought hail and strong winds as they moved from Arkansas and into Illinois, Tennessee and Kentucky.

The storms were part of a system expected to threaten parts of the South and Midwest overnight.

A tornado watch was in effect for parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

“We’ve had wind damage and winds of anywhere from 60 to 70 mph,” NWS forecaster Marlene Mickelson in Memphis, Tenn., told the Associated Press. “Unfortunately it’s going to continue across most of western Tennessee and northern Mississippi through most of the night.”

Memphis-area news stations closely tracked the storms as they approached that city, but it appears to have been spared. Mickelson said the weather service had received funnel cloud reports in western Tennessee, but hadn’t confirmed any tornadoes as of late Sunday night.