Extreme Heat Warning Covers Sebastian, Crawford, Sequoyah and Pittsburg Counties, Fort Smith to McAlester
Heat index values from 110 to 115 are expected across 22 zones in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, with an Extreme Heat Warning in effect until 8 PM CDT and again from noon to 8 PM CDT Sunday.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 17, 2026, 10:49 a.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 17, 2026, 10:56 a.m. ET
Extreme Heat Warning for Fort Smith, McAlester and Sallisaw: Heat Index 110 to 115
Heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events and are possible especially impacting those not acclimated to the conditions or those performing strenuous activities, according to the Extreme Heat Warning record issued by National Weather Service Tulsa OK on August 15, 2026.
The official alert record gives heat index values from 110 to 115 both Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, with overnight lows in the upper 70s to lower 80s expected Saturday night.
The timing runs in three parts. The first Extreme Heat Warning, issued at 11:26 AM CDT on August 15, is in force until 8 PM CDT this evening. A Heat Advisory follows from 8 PM this evening to noon CDT Sunday. A second Extreme Heat Warning then runs from noon to 8 PM CDT Sunday, the period named in the record's own headline: EXTREME HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM CDT SUNDAY.
The alert covers 22 zones. In Arkansas, they are Southern Crawford and North and Central Sebastian counties. In Oklahoma, they are Central and Southern Sequoyah, Okfuskee, Haskell, McIntosh, Northern Le Flore and Pittsburg counties. Cities named in the record include Stigler, Spiro, Panama, Sallisaw, Fort Smith, Okemah, Pocola, Arkoma, Checotah, Van Buren and McAlester.
The precautions in the record instruct residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. It also advises taking extra precautions when outside, wearing lightweight and loose fitting clothing, trying to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening, and taking action when symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke appear.
Aug 17, 2026, 10:49 a.m. ETFirst report
Extreme Heat Warning Covers Sebastian, Crawford and Okfuskee Counties, With Heat Index Up to 115
The National Weather Service Tulsa OK issued an Extreme Heat Warning on August 15, 2026, beginning at 11:26 AM CDT and expiring at 8:00 PM CDT the same day, according to the office's alert record published in the National Weather Service raw text product feed.
The record sets out the full timeline: the first Extreme Heat Warning runs until 8 PM CDT this evening; a Heat Advisory follows from 8 PM this evening to noon CDT Sunday; and a second Extreme Heat Warning is in effect from noon to 8 PM CDT Sunday. The alert's own headline reads: "EXTREME HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM CDT SUNDAY."
Heat index values from 110 to 115 are expected both Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, the alert states, with overnight lows in the upper 70s to lower 80s Saturday night.
The alert covers 22 zones. In Arkansas, the affected areas are Southern Crawford and North and Central Sebastian Counties. In Oklahoma, they are Central and Southern Sequoyah, Okfuskee, Haskell, McIntosh, Northern Le Flore, and Pittsburg Counties. Cities named in the record are Stigler, Spiro, Panama, Sallisaw, Fort Smith, Okemah, Pocola, Arkoma, Checotah, Van Buren, and McAlester.
According to the National Weather Service Tulsa OK, heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events, and such illnesses are possible especially among those not acclimated to the conditions or those performing strenuous activities.
The office advises residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors, and to take extra precautions when outside. It also recommends wearing lightweight and loose fitting clothing, limiting strenuous activities to early morning or evening, and taking action at the first symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
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Revision history
- Version 217 Aug 2026, 14:49current
Headline now names the counties from the record (Sebastian, Crawford, Okfuskee) and the 110–115 heat index; dek adds Fort Smith, McAlester and Sallisaw plus the 22-zone scope and both warning periods. Body now explicitly names the source record (National Weather Service Tulsa OK alert in the NWS raw text product feed) and quotes the record's own headline verbatim. Timeline wording aligned to the record's 'this evening' phrasing; impacts and precautions restored closer to the record's plain wording. No facts added or removed.
- Version 117 Aug 2026, 14:56current
First published.
- Version 115 Aug 2026, 18:34
First published.
- Version 117 Aug 2026, 14:57current
First published.
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