Monthly Storm Reports and Storm Data
Storm Reports
Are you interested in what happened during a recent event? Check out the report below.
 
Cooling Off/Hurricane Sandy on October 25-29, 2012
 
A cold front pushed into Arkansas from the Plains during the afternoon of 10/25/2012. Unseasonably warm weather was noted on October 25th. High temperatures were in the lower 70s to mid 80s, and ranged from 71 degrees at Highfill (Benton County) to 84 degrees at Texarkana (Miller County). There was a change of seasons during the afternoon and evening.
In the picture: A cold front pushed into Arkansas from the Plains during the afternoon of 10/25/2012. The front brought areas of rain and isolated thunderstorms. Much cooler air followed the front.

 

A cold front surged into Arkansas, and temperatures dropped quickly into the 40s by 300 pm CDT at Fayetteville (Washington County) and by 500 pm CDT at Harrison (Boone County).

 

Winds shifted to the northwest and became gusty as the front went through Jonesboro (Craighead County) and Little Rock (Pulaski County) between 800 pm and 900 pm CDT.

 Temperatures at 400 pm CDT on 10/25/2012.
In the picture: Temperatures at 400 pm CDT on 10/25/2012.

 

Other than markedly cooler air, there were areas of rain behind the front and a few rumbles of thunder. A narrow swath of one to two inch amounts was noted from southwest into central sections of the state, or roughly along the Interstate 30 corridor.

 

Twenty four hour rainfall through 700 am CDT on 10/26/2012. Twenty four hour totals through 700 am CDT on the 26th included 1.97 inches at Sparkman (Dallas County), 1.80 inches at Bluff City (Nevada County), 1.69 inches at Searcy (White County), 1.67 inches at Lewisville (Lafayette County) and 1.62 inches at Hot Springs National Park (Garland County).
In the picture: Twenty four hour rainfall through 700 am CDT on 10/26/2012.

 

Some morning rain was followed by slow clearing from the northwest on the 26th. At 100 pm CDT, temperatures were only in the 40s to lower 50s (normal highs are in the upper 60s and lower 70s).

 

Temperatures at 100 pm CDT (October 25-26, 2012)
Site Temp (10/25) Temp (10/26)
Fayetteville (NW AR) 70° 46°
Harrison (NC AR) 75° 48°
Jonesboro (NE AR) 81° 46°
Fort Smith (WC AR) 77° 53°
Little Rock (C AR) 80° 48°
West Memphis (EC AR) 79° 45°
Texarkana (SW AR) 79° 49°
El Dorado (SC AR) 76° 48°
Pine Bluff (SE AR) 79° 46°

 

A hard freeze occurred in portions of northern and western Arkansas early on the 27th, 28th and 29th.
Freeze watches and warnings were posted from portions of New Mexico to Missouri and western Illinois as of 1232 pm CDT on 10/26/2012.
In the picture: Freeze watches and warnings were posted from portions of New Mexico to Missouri and western Illinois as of 1232 pm CDT on 10/26/2012. This included much of northern/western Arkansas.

 

On all three mornings, the mercury plummeted into the 20s to around 30 degrees at Fayetteville (Washington County), Harrison (Boone County), Mountain Home (Baxter County) and Mount Ida (Montgomery County).

 

Low Temperatures (October 27-29, 2012)
Site Low (10/27) Low (10/28) Low (10/29)
Fayetteville (NW AR) 27° 23° 25°
Harrison (NC AR) 29° 27° 27°
Mtn Home (NC AR) 31° 29° 30°
Jonesboro (NE AR) 37° 38° 37°
Fort Smith (WC AR) 36° 30° 32°
Russellville (WC AR) 35° 32° 31°
Mount Ida (WC AR) 30° 28° 29°
Hot Springs (C AR) 38° 37° 33°
Little Rock (C AR) 38° 37° 37°
West Memphis (EC AR) 37° 36° 32°
Texarkana (SW AR) 40° 34° 34°
El Dorado (SC AR) 37° 34° 33°
Pine Bluff (SE AR) 40° 38° 37°
Monticello (SE AR) 40° 39° 36°

 

Hurricane Sandy was a minimal Category 1 Storm (75 mph winds) at 100 pm CDT on 10/26/2012.
In the picture: Hurricane Sandy was a minimal Category 1 Storm (75 mph winds) at 100 pm CDT on 10/26/2012. Spaghetti plots (model data) were in general agreement in the short-term as to where Sandy was headed. However, the plots diverged in the long-term, with less agreement and not as much confidence in the projected track.
 

While it cooled down in Arkansas, it heated up along the east Coast. Hurricane Sandy wobbled just north of the Bahamas during the afternoon of the 26th as a minimal Category 1 storm (75 mph winds).

 

Hurricane Sandy ("L") was headed toward the open Atlantic Ocean during the afternoon of 10/27/2012. On the 27th and 28th, the strength of the system was unchanged as it tracked toward the northeast past the Carolinas. On the 29th, the system turned to the north/northwest and accelerated.
In the picture: Hurricane Sandy ("L") was headed toward the open Atlantic Ocean during the afternoon of 10/27/2012. However, a turn toward the East Coast was projected. Counter-clockwise flow around Sandy was pumping northerly winds and much below normal temperatures into Arkansas.

 

Forecasting Sandy

Forecast models play an important role in deciding where tropical systems like Sandy will go. The accuracy of models is highly dependent on data that goes into the models. This includes data from radiosondes (attached to balloons), which measure variables such as temperature, humidity and wind with height. Normally, there are two radiosondes launched per day (600 am CDT and 600 pm CDT) at the local National Weather Service office. To support the effort to follow Sandy as accurately as possible, two extra launches/flights were performed (1200 am CDT and 1200 pm CDT) in the days preceding landfall.

 

Sandy also intensified, with maximum sustained winds up to 90 mph (gusts over 100 mph). The storm slammed into the southern New Jersey Coast by early evening. Hurricane Sandy ("L") moved into southern New Jersey during the early evening of 10/29/2012.
In the picture: Hurricane Sandy ("L") moved into southern New Jersey during the early evening of 10/29/2012. The system significantly impacted areas from the mid-Atlantic states to New England (wind/rain/onshore flow and storm surge), and also the central Appalachians (snow).

 

An historic event unfolded, with life threatening storm surge flooding from Delaware to Massachusetts, and tropical storm to hurricane force winds (40 to 90+ mph) from the mid-Atlantic Coast to parts of New England. This caused extensive tree and power line damage and widespread power outages. Southwest of the track of Sandy, five to ten inches of rain fell from southern Pennsylvania to northern Virginia. This caused moderate to major high water problems along creeks and small streams. One to two feet of snow piled up in the mountains of West Virginia, with gusty winds creating blizzard conditions. At least 130 fatalities were blamed on Sandy, and damage estimates were an estimated $60+ billion.
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