Monthly Storm Reports and Storm Data
Storm Reports
Are you interested in what happened during a recent event? Check out the report below.
 
March, 2013 Storm Report
 
Short Weather Summary
 
March is when spring is supposed to return and severe storms become common in Arkansas. This was not the case in 2013. It felt more like winter, with a heavy snow event and nary a tornado.

 

Record Temperatures
 
There were a few record high temperatures on March 15th, and several record lows during the last week of the month. Check out the record below.

 

Site Record Low (Date of Occurrence)
Batesville 27T (03/27)
Jacksonville 25 (03/27)
North Little Rock 29 (03/25), 29 (03/26)
Stuttgart 30 (03/25)
Note: "T" means record was tied.

 

Site Record High (Date of Occurrence)
Batesville 82T (03/15)
Fayetteville 79 (03/15)
Fort Smith 83T (03/15)
Note: "T" means record was tied.

 

A Cold/Dry Month
 

It did not feel much like spring in March. Average temperatures were 3 to 6 degrees below normal, and there were numerous freezes (with the latest occurring on the 27th). This was a huge change from the well above normal readings experienced a year ago.

 

Average Temperatures in March (2012-2013)
Site 2013 +/- 2012 +/-
Fayetteville (NW AR) 44.0° -4.1° 57.9° +9.8°
Harrison (NC AR) 44.0° -4.8° 60.5° +11.7°
Jonesboro (NE AR) 44.9° -5.3° 62.8° +12.6°
Fort Smith (WC AR) 49.7° -3.2° 63.6° +10.7°
Little Rock (C AR) 49.0° -4.4° 64.3° +10.9°
West Memphis (EC AR) 45.7° -5.8° 62.5° +11.0°
Texarkana (SW AR) 52.5° -3.4° 64.8° +8.9°
El Dorado (SC AR) 50.9° -4.9° 63.0° +7.2°
Pine Bluff (SE AR) 48.9° -5.5° 64.6° +10.2°

 

Here are some interesting March, 2013 facts...
 
* North Little Rock (Pulaski County) had no 80 degree days for the first time since 2001.
* The high temperature at North Little Rock (Pulaski County) was at or below 50 degrees 10 times. This was the most on record locally (since data collection began in 1975).
* Average high temperatures (in the mid to upper 50s) were the coldest on record at Clarendon (Monroe County) and North Little Rock (Pulaski County).
* Harrison (Boone County) had 19 days with low temperatures at or below freezing. This was the most since 1978 (20 days).
* Cabot (Lonoke County) and Leola (Grant County) had 17 freezes, which was the most on record at both locations.
* The 4.5 inches of snow that fell at Greers Ferry Dam (Cleburne County) was the second most on record for the month.

 

 

The Arctic Oscillation (AO) Index was strongly negative in March, 2013.
In the picture: The Arctic Oscillation (AO) Index was strongly negative in March, 2013.
 

Why was it so cold? The reason may have a lot to do with the Arctic Oscillation (AO). This is an index that is positive or negative depending on pressure toward the North Pole (from 20 degrees N latitude poleward) versus the mid-latitudes (where we live). In March, the index was the most negative on record (since 1950) for the month. There was higher than normal pressure up north and lower than normal pressure around here. Since air tends to flow from high to low pressure, storm systems tended to dive southward from Canada.

 

 

Percent of normal precipitation (liquid) in March, 2013. As temperatures stayed cold, thunderstorms were few. There were a couple of heavy rain events (on the 9th/10th and the 29th through the 31st), but precipitation ended in the minus category in most areas.
In the picture: Percent of normal precipitation (liquid) in March, 2013.

 

Precipitation in March, 2013
Site Amount Normal +/- % of Normal
Fayetteville (NW AR) 4.48 4.02 +0.46 111%
Harrison (NC AR) 2.60 3.79 -1.19 69%
Jonesboro (NE AR) 2.09 4.50 -2.41 46%
Fort Smith (WC AR) 3.42 3.85 -0.43 89%
Little Rock (C AR) 4.57 4.68 -0.11 98%
West Memphis (EC AR) 2.89 4.94 -2.05 59%
Texarkana (SW AR) 2.60 4.20 -1.60 62%
El Dorado (SC AR) 3.06 4.75 -1.69 64%
Pine Bluff (SE AR) 3.82 5.40 -1.58 71%

 

Severe weather was minimal, with no tornadoes counted. There was some hail reported (mainly on the 18th), but it was mostly small.

 Mainly small hail was reported during this event, as noted at the David D. Terry Lock and Dam (Pulaski County).
In the picture: Mainly small hail was reported during this event, as noted at the David D. Terry Lock and Dam (Pulaski County). The photo is courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Click to enlarge.

 

A storm system ("L") in the southern Plains spread moisture into colder air across Arkansas provided by high pressure ("H") in Illinois on 03/21/2013.

The one event worth mentioning was a winter storm on the 21st/22nd. Toward the Missouri border, six to more than eight inches of snow blanketed areas from Mountain Home (Baxter County) to Salem (Fulton County), Melbourne (Izard County), Hardy (Sharp County) and Pocahontas (Randolph County).
In the picture: A storm system ("L") in the southern Plains spread moisture into colder air across Arkansas provided by high pressure ("H") in Illinois on 03/21/2013. The result was snow across northern sections of the state.

 

Links of Interest
March 9-10, 2013 (heavy rain)
March 17-18, 2013 (mainly small hail)
March 21-24, 2013 (winter storms)
March 29-31, 2013 (rain/some hail)

 

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

 

Temperatures and Precipitation
Temperatures were well below normal at most locations. Readings at North Little Rock are shown to right. March, 2013 Temperatures in North Little Rock

 

March, 2013 Precipitation in North Little Rock Rainfall was below normal in most areas, but at or a little above normal in parts of Arkansas River Valley and Ouachita Mountains.

 

To right, a look at precipitation across the state. March, 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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