Monthly Storm Reports and Storm Data
Storm Reports
Are you interested in what happened during a recent event? Check out the report below.
 
January, 2013 Storm Report
 
Short Weather Summary
 
There was a wide array of weather to start 2013. Flooding rain, snow, ice and severe weather (including five tornadoes) were all on the menu. Following a year (2012) with widespread drought, parts of the north had the wettest January in more than 60 years.

 

Record Temperatures
 
There were a couple of record high temperatures on January 28th. Check out the records below.

 

Site Record High (Date of Occurrence)
Jacksonville 75T (01/28)
Stuttgart 72 (01/28)
Note: "T" means record was tied.

 

An Active Beginning to 2013
 
Percent of normal rainfall in January, 2013. Areas of heavy rain hit in January, and some of it fell where drought conditions existed in northern and western Arkansas. Precipitation totals finished above normal at Fayetteville (Washington County) and Harrison (Boone County). At the latter location, it was the first month with surplus precipitation since March, 2012.
In the picture: Percent of normal rainfall in January, 2013.

 

A few spots received more than double the normal rain. At Russellville (Pope County), 7.20 inches was measured (214% of normal), with 8.50 inches (203% of normal) at West Memphis (Crittenden County).

 

Precipitation in January, 2013
Site Amount Normal +/- % of Normal
Fayetteville (NW AR) 3.03 2.87 +0.16 106%
Harrison (NC AR) 3.37 2.56 +0.81 132%
Jonesboro (NE AR) 5.37 3.43 +1.94 157%
Fort Smith (WC AR) 3.97 2.81 +1.16 141%
Little Rock (C AR) 4.81 3.55 +1.26 135%
West Memphis (EC AR) 8.50 4.18 +4.32 203%
Texarkana (SW AR) 3.67 3.40 +0.27 108%
El Dorado (SC AR) 3.66 4.30 -0.64 85%
Pine Bluff (SE AR) 6.93 3.76 +3.17 184%

 

Near record January rainfall was noted in parts of the north/east. Several sites in the northern half of the state had the wettest January since 1950.

 

 

After a storm system dumped two to three inch amounts in the southeast on the 9th/10th, a new cold front approached from the Plains. It was mild ahead of the front on the 12th, with afternoon temperatures climbing into the 60s/70s.

 Temperatures at 600 pm CST on 01/12/2013.
In the picture: Temperatures at 600 pm CST on 01/12/2013. There was a forty degree difference across the front. The front stalled for awhile and waited for a storm system ("L") to pass before progressing through southern and eastern Arkansas during the overnight hours.

 

Behind the front, readings plummeted into the 30s in the northwest by sunset. The front came to a halt as it approached central Arkansas. Rain and scattered thunderstorms focused along and north of the front, and there was a deluge for several hours.

 

Twenty four hour precipitation through 600 am CST on 01/13/2013.

Three to more than five inches of rain dumped from Mena (Polk County) to Russellville (Pope County), Clinton (Van Buren County), Mountain View (Stone County), Hardy (Sharp County) and Pocahontas (Randolph County).
In the picture: Twenty four hour precipitation through 600 am CST on 01/13/2013.

 

Twenty Four Hour Rainfall (through 600 am CST on 01/13/2013)
Site Amount (Inches)
Dardanelle (Yell Co) 6.02
Calamine (Sharp Co) 5.39
Russellville (Pope Co) 5.20
Mountain View (Stone Co) 5.10
Clinton (Van Buren Co) 4.98
Damascus (Van Buren Co) 4.75
Batesville Lock & Dam (Independence Co) 4.70
Center Ridge (Conway Co) 4.15
St. Francis (Clay Co) 4.11
Hardy (Sharp Co) 4.00
Pocahontas (Randolph Co) 3.95
Corning (Clay Co) 3.91
Melbourne (Izard Co) 3.90
Salem (Fulton Co) 3.90
Evening Shade (Sharp Co) 3.88
Mammoth Spring (Fulton Co) 3.70

 

Link of Interest
More Rainfall Reports

 

Along this axis, high water problems developed. Stranded motorists were rescued from vehicles, roads were barricaded, and water flowed into homes. Small streams and creeks rose quickly, and there was some minor river flooding.

Eventually, the front gained some momentum toward the southeast during the overnight hours of the 12th/early on the 13th. Areas of the southeast that got heavy rain on the 9th/10th were hit again. Rain fell on already saturated soil, and could not soak in. A disaster was declared in Lincoln County where washouts existed along 98 percent of the roads.

The front eventually stalled over the southeast United States as it encountered a ridge of high pressure off the Florida Coast. It was cold behind the front on the 14th, and areas of light freezing rain and sleet developed from Little Rock (Pulaski County) southeastward.

 

In the far southeast, quarter to half inch ice accruals were reported on elevated surfaces (trees, power lines, bridges/overpasses, etc) in Ashley and Chicot Counties. This created hazardous driving conditions. The front did not move much on the 15th, with chances for icy precipitation continuing in the south/east.
There was greater than a 90 percent chance of 0.01 inch to 0.10 inch of freezing rain in southeast Arkansas in the twenty four hour period ending at 600 am CST on 01/16/2013.
In the picture: There was greater than a 90 percent chance of 0.01 inch to 0.10 inch of freezing rain in southeast Arkansas in the twenty four hour period ending at 600 am CST on 01/16/2013. The graphic (made on 01/15/2013) is courtesy of the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center.

 

Farther north/west, there was some light snow in the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains and into northeast Arkansas. Two to four inch accumulations resulted from Jasper (Newton County) and Russellville (Pope County) northeast to Mountain Home (Baxter County), Mountain View (Stone County), Batesville (Independence County) and Pocahontas (Randolph County).

 

Storm reports in the twenty four hour period ending at 600 am CST on 01/30/2013.

By the 28th, temperatures were well above normal again. A storm system tracked from the southern Plains toward the mid-Mississippi Valley, and dragged a cold front into the region. The front triggered strong to severe thunderstorms.
In the picture: Storm reports in the twenty four hour period ending at 600 am CST on 01/30/2013. The graphic is courtesy of the Storm Prediction Center.

 

Winds turned somewhat with height, and five mostly weak tornadoes were spawned between 300 pm and 900 pm CST. The strongest of these (rated EF2) tracked a few miles northwest of Natural Dam (Crawford County) and downed mostly trees. Another tornado (rated EF1) struck 40 to 50 houses north of Elkins (Washington County). Roofs were removed from some homes.

Storms moved quickly (more than 50 mph), which increased chances for damaging winds. A roof was removed from a barn at Lead Hill (Boone County), and a shed and chicken coop were destroyed northeast of De Witt (Arkansas County). Trees were toppled just south of Clinton (Van Buren County), east of Bismarck (Hot Spring County), at Quitman (Cleburne County), Redfield (Jefferson County) and Brinkley (Monroe County). A 60 mph gust was measured at Monticello (Drew County).

More than two inches of rain dumped in portions of the north and west, and also along the Mississippi River.

 

Links of Interest
January 9-13, 2013 (flooding rain)
January 14-15, 2013 (wintry precipitation)
January 29-30, 2013 (severe storms/heavy rain)

 

Additional January Details
 
For more details about January, 2013...go to the "Temperatures and Precipitation" section below.

 

Temperatures and Precipitation
While temperatures were below normal at times in January (especially on the 14th/15th), readings averaged above normal. Readings at North Little Rock are shown to right. January, 2013 Temperatures in North Little Rock

 

January, 2013 Precipitation in North Little Rock Rainfall was at/above normal in much of the state, but subpar in the southwest. Amounts at North Little Rock are shown to left.

 

To right, a look at precipitation across the state. January, 2013 Precipitation in Arkansas

 

For a look at actual temperatures and precipitation in Arkansas as measured by the cooperative observer network, click here.
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