River flood warning issued

The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a flood warning for the Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa from late tonight to Thursday evening or until the warning is cancelled.

At 9:30 a.m. Monday, the stage was 13.9 feet. Moderate flooding is forecast. The flood stage is 17 feet.

The forecast is that the river will rise above flood stage early Tuesday morning and crest near 22.2 feet mid-morning on Wednesday. It is expected  to fall below flood stage late Thursday afternoon.

Flood depths at 22.0 feet range from about 5 feet from eastern Grant County across Kay County to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oil fields are flooded hours before the crest.

Road closures are expected at Fountain Road and U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.