Monthly Storm Reports and Storm Data
Storm Reports
Are you interested in what happened during a recent event? Check out the report below.
 
November, 2012 Storm Report
 
Short Weather Summary
 
Outside of a few hail reports, November was a quiet month. It was also very dry. While the beginning featured record warm readings, there was a cooler than normal end (only the second month of the year with below normal temperatures).

 

Record Temperatures
 
There were several record highs on the 2nd and 3rd of November, and a couple of record lows toward the middle of the month. Check out the records below.

 

Site Record Low (Date of Occurrence)
Stuttgart 34 (11/13), 30 (11/15)

 

Site Record High (Date of Occurrence)
Fayetteville 80 (11/02)
Fort Smith 85 (11/02)
Hot Springs 84 (11/02), 82T (11/03)
Little Rock 83T (11/03)
Texarkana 84T (11/02)
Note: "T" means record was tied.

 

A Very Dry Month/Cooler Than Normal
 
Percent of normal rainfall in November, 2012. There was not much use for umbrellas in November. Parts of western Arkansas received less than 25 percent of the normal rainfall. Under an inch of precipitation was measured at Fayetteville (Washington County) and Fort Smith (Sebastian County).
In the picture: Percent of normal rainfall in November, 2012.

 

Precipitation in November, 2012
Site Amount Normal +/- % of Normal
Fayetteville (NW AR) 0.97 4.24 -3.27 23%
Harrison (NC AR) 1.13 4.23 -3.10 27%
Jonesboro (NE AR) 2.17 4.90 -2.73 44%
Fort Smith (WC AR) 0.29 4.44 -4.15 7%
Little Rock (C AR) 1.86 5.28 -3.42 35%
West Memphis (EC AR) 3.22 4.95 -1.73 65%
Texarkana (SW AR) 1.05 4.82 -3.77 22%
El Dorado (SC AR) 1.66 4.89 -3.23 34%
Pine Bluff (SE AR) 2.21 4.83 -2.62 46%

 

The most active weather occurred during the first half of the month. After a mild start and some record high temperatures (in the 80s) on the 2nd, a cold front passed through the region from the north on the 3rd. The front triggered hit and miss showers and thunderstorms across the southern half of the state. One storm produced quarter to ping pong ball size hail at Haskell (Saline County).

More seasonal temperatures followed the front, but so did a storm system aloft a couple of days later. The system brought substantially cooler air overhead on the 5th. Sunshine and some heating near the ground destabilized the atmosphere, and isolated thunderstorms popped up in the afternoon.

 

Moisture was driven into cold cloud tops, and ice formed easily. Hail to the size of ping pong balls was reported at Bismarck (Hot Spring County). There were several instances of pea to penny size hail.
Low pressure at 500 mb (18,000 feet) and very cold air (-20C to -24C) aloft moved over Arkansas on 11/05/2012.
In the picture: Low pressure at 500 mb (18,000 feet) and very cold air (-20C to -24C) aloft moved over Arkansas on 11/05/2012.

 

The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed widespread rain and isolated thunderstorms building into Arkansas from the Plains on 11/11/2012.
A more significant front surged into the area from the Plains on the 11th. Rain became widespread, with amounts from three quarters of an inch to an inch and a half. Local totals exceeded two inches.
In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed widespread rain and isolated thunderstorms building into Arkansas from the Plains on 11/11/2012. Precipitation was along a cold front, with much colder and windy conditions to follow.

 

Hurricane Sandy ("L") moved into southern New Jersey during the early evening of 10/29/2012.
In the picture: Twenty four hour rainfall through 600 am CST on 11/12/2012.
 

Twenty four hour amounts through 600 am CST on the 12th included 2.45 inches at West Memphis (Crittenden County), 1.76 inches at Jonesboro (Craighead County), 1.30 inches at Little Rock (Pulaski County) and 1.19 inches at Hot Springs (Garland County).

Temperatures tumbled behind the front. There was a freeze in much of Arkansas by the morning of the 13th. This officially ended the growing season. Readings at most locations stayed below normal for close to a week (the 12th through the 17th). This helped guarantee that temperatures would finish subpar for the second straight month (except for a few above normal numbers in the west).

 

Link of Interest
November 3-13, 2012 (pattern)

 

In the Tropics
 

There were no named storms in November. The season ended with nineteen named storms.

 

Additional November Details
 
For more details about November, 2012...go to the "Temperatures and Precipitation" section below.

 

Temperatures and Precipitation
Temperatures finished at or a little below normal in November. Readings at North Little Rock are shown to right. November, 2012 Temperatures in North Little Rock

 

November, 2012 Precipitation in North Little Rock Rainfall was below normal. Amounts at North Little Rock are shown to left.

 

To right, a look at precipitation across the state. November, 2012 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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