National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Monthly rainfall was generally much higher than the previous two months, and more locations had above normal precipitation. Some spots got two to four times the normal amount, including Little Rock (Pulaski County) and Pine Bluff (Jefferson County).

There was not as much surplus heat in August as there was in June and July. In fact, some readings in the south/east were below normal.

The big event in August was the arrival of the remnants of Hurricane Isaac. The system made landfall in southeast Louisiana on the 28th, and affected Arkansas with wind and rain a couple of days later.

As the system arrived during the afternoon and evening of the 30th, barometric pressure dropped markedly. The lowest pressures measured were at El Dorado (Union County) and Camden (Ouachita County), with 29.46 inches (997.6 millibars) and 29.51 inches (999.3 millibars) respectively. As pressures dropped, east to northeast winds increased and became gusty. Some gusts exceeded 40 mph. Pine Bluff (Jefferson County) had a gust to 46 mph, with 44 mph at Little Rock (Pulaski County) and 43 mph at Hot Springs (Garland County) and Mount Ida (Montgomery County).

Higher gusts downed some trees/tree limbs, and there were power outages reported. The tree damage was partly due to existing drought conditions and a lack of ground water. Many trees were in a weakened state. This made them more susceptible to gusty conditions.

Three to more than six inches fell from northeast into central and southeast sections of the state.

Forty eight hour totals through 700 am CDT on September 1st included a whopping 10.70 inches at White Hall (Jefferson County), 8.88 inches at Providence (White County), 8.39 inches at Pine Bluff (Jefferson County), 8.25 inches at Steprock (White County), 8.20 inches at Augusta (Woodruff County) and 8.11 inches at Fordyce (Dallas County).

Extensive flooding was noted at England (Lonoke County), Pine Bluff (Jefferson County), Fordyce (Dallas County) and surrounding areas. Homes were threatened by high water and roads were barricaded. Several water rescues were performed to help stranded motorists. Flash Flood Emergencies were declared in these areas by the National Weather Service.

At Pine Bluff (Jefferson County), at least a couple of cars floated down Highway 63. Around England (Lonoke County), Highway 15 was closed for a time between Highways 70 and 165. Local schools were dismissed early due to hazardous road conditions.

Rainfall records were shattered at Pine Bluff (Jefferson County). August 24-hour rainfall (7.88 inches on the 30th/31st), daily rainfall (4.61 inches on the 31st) and monthly rainfall (10.70 inches) records were established.

The rain helped improve a drought situation that was the result of a record dry April through July. On the 4th of September, only 12 percent of the state had exceptional drought (D4) versus 46 percent the previous week. The southern counties benefited the most, with a three category improvement (from D3 to D0) in Arkansas and Jefferson Counties.

Not everyone experienced a deluge, including areas toward the Mississippi River and the far west. De Queen (Sevier County) only got 0.09 inch, with 0.42 inch at Texarkana (Miller County), 0.51 inch at Fort Smith (Sebastian County) and 0.52 inch at West Memphis (Crittenden County).

Well before Isaac, August began with a tragedy. During the morning of the 2nd (between 600 am and 700 am CDT), a house fire was apparently started by lightning near Albion (White County). An elderly woman that lived at the home was killed in the fire.

Severe storms hit portions of the southeast on the 9th. A 63 mph gust was measured at the Monticello Municipal Airport (Drew County). Also, 1.98 inches of rain fell. The storms were followed by a cold front from the north. The front brought cooler and drier air, and the end of triple digit heat in most areas...at least for awhile.

Even so, the temperature still managed to hit 100 degrees at Russellville (Pope County) on the 10th. This was the twenty fifth day in a row daytime readings reached the century mark (or higher). The streak ended the next day, with highs in the 80s and 90s the rest of the month.

Twenty four hour amounts through 700 am CDT on the 13th included 3.65 inches at Mayflower (Faulkner County), 2.50 to 3.00 inches at Gibson and Sherwood (both in Pulaski County), 2.70 inches at South Bend (Lonoke County), 2.35 inches at Conway (Faulkner County), 2.15 inches at Lonoke (Lonoke County) and 1.81 inches at Stuttgart (Arkansas County).

Lightning from the storms started a wildfire near Casa (Perry County). The fire burned 820 acres and consumed at least one home and several barns. Close to the fire, 50 to 100 homes were evacuated. On the same day, another lightning fire consumed 852 acres near Whelen Springs (Clark County). There was a 1,410 acre fire on the 14th close to Lacey (Drew County). It was pre-Isaac reminder that vegetation was very dry (a fire hazard) due to a continuing drought. Altogether, the Arkansas Foresty Commission reported 425 wildfires in August with 7,771 acres burned.

The most significant front of August surged through on the 16th/17th. Preceding the front, temperatures soared well into the 90s to around 100 degrees on the 16th. Following the front on the 17th, readings only made it to 75 degrees at Newport (Jackson County), with 79 degrees at Harrison (Boone County) and Mountain Home (Baxter County).

Tropical Storm Ernesto formed out in the tropical Atlantic Ocean on August 2nd, and tracked westward through the Caribbean Sea. The system eventually became a minimal hurricane (Category 1) on the 7th just before making landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula late in the day. Ernesto weakened and emerged over the southern Bay of Campeche on the 8th before moving inland over southern Mexico as a Tropical Storm on the 9th.

Like Ernesto, Florence spun up in the tropical Atlantic, but didn't last long. The system was named on August 4th but was gone by the 6th.

Gordon came to life in the central Atlantic Ocean on the 16th. The system became a Category 2 Hurricane (110 mph sustained winds) on the 18th as it headed eastward toward the Azores. Gordon weakened to a minimal hurricane and hit the Azores on the 20th. The system fell apart later in the day.

Tropical Storm Helene was short-lived. The system was identified on August 17th in the southwest Gulf of Mexico, and reached the coast of Mexico near Tampico on the 18th.

Isaac was the big storm of interest in Arkansas. The system became a Tropical Storm on August 21st close to the Lesser Antilles. The system struggled to strengthen for several days, and eventually wobbled between northern Cuba and southern Florida on the 26th. Forecast models had Isaac turning toward the Gulf Coast of Florida initially, but showed a more westward track with time. The system strengthened to a minimal hurricane (Category 1) on the 28th before making landfall in southeast Louisiana during the evening. The remnants of Isaac brought wind and rain to Arkansas on the 30th/31st.

Tropical Storm Joyce was around for only a day. The system formed in the tropical Atlantic during the morning of the 23rd, and weakened by evening.

Kirk was never a threat to land, forming well out in the Atlantic on the 28th. The system turned to the north and northeast and moved over open water. Kirk became the fifth hurricane of the season on the 30th. Winds reached 105 mph (Category 2 Hurricane) on the 31st, but Kirk then weakened and became post-tropical during the first couple of days of September.

Leslie attained Tropical Storm status on the 30th. It appeared the system would be much like Kirk. It was born in the same general area, and was making a move toward open water as the month came to a close.