Thunderstorms and strong winds slammed Washington and Benton counties late Friday afternoon, causing structural damage and thousands of power outages.
A thunderstorm moved through northern Benton County Friday just after 2 p.m.,damaging buildings and temporary structures.
The 60-70 mph winds from an apparent microburst toppled a metal shed in Lowell and damaged roofs of area homes. Damage was also reported in Bethel Heights.
5NEWS Chief Meteorologist Garrett Lewis estimated the microburst occurred in a 3-4 mile area around 2:10 p.m. along Hwy 71B from Lowell to north Springdale.
By mid-evening, after heavy storms pounded Northwest Arkansas at about rush hour, about 6,000 customers were without power just in Washington and Benton counties, according to Southwest Electric Power and Ozarks Electric Power companies.
Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville fire and police departments reported power lines down. Crews worked to restore power and clear the lines, police said.
More strong to severe thunderstorms were expected in Northwest Arkansas throughout the evening. Follow @5NEWSGarrett and @5NEWSJoe on Twitter for updates.