Flash flood warning issued for Phillips County after heavy rain, road flooding

Water was reported over Highway 49 and other Phillips County roads as a flash flood warning stayed in effect Thursday evening for Helena-West Helena, Marvell, Elaine and Lexa. The National Weather Service in Memphis warned that the danger was immediate for school pickups, work commutes and emergency travel across the county, where heavy thunderstorms had already dumped several inches of rain.

The warning was issued at 4:19 p.m. June 12 and was set to expire at 7:15 p.m. CDT. At that point, radar and storm reports showed 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain had already fallen, with another 1 to 3 inches still possible. By 5:14 p.m., the Weather Service said totals in Phillips County and northeastern Coahoma County had climbed to 2.5 to 3.5 inches, and another 1 to 2 inches could still fall before the warning ended.

The alert covered Phillips County along with southeastern Lee County in Arkansas, northeastern Coahoma County in Mississippi and southwestern Tunica County in Mississippi. Within Phillips County, the warning included communities such as Marvell, Elaine, Helena-West Helena, Lexa, Helena Crossing, Lake View and nearby river-area and low-lying roads. The Weather Service said flash flooding could hit small creeks and streams, urban streets, highways, underpasses and poor-drainage spots quickly as rain continued to fall.

The storm also had wider reach across the Delta. NWS Memphis said Phillips County sits inside its county warning area, which spans four states and 55 counties, a reminder that the same rain band that flooded local roads also threatened a broader Mid-South corridor. The agency repeated the same safety message through the event: turn around, don’t drown. With standing water reported on major routes, drivers were urged to avoid flooded roads and wait for conditions to improve before trying to cross or resume travel.