Monthly Storm Reports and Storm Data
Storm Reports
Are you interested in what happened during a recent event? Check out the report below.
 
Pattern Change (July 6-14, 2012)
 
A ridge of high pressure ("H") built to the west, with clockwise flow around the high creating a northwest wind flow aloft on 07/09/2012. Oppressive heat and little to no rain were common themes to end June and begin July. Drought conditions worsened, and the wildfire danger became a big concern. The good news is that some relief arrived.
In the picture: A ridge of high pressure ("H") built to the west, with clockwise flow around the high creating a northwest wind flow aloft on 07/09/2012. A cold front rode the flow into Arkansas.

 

High pressure exited toward the Rockies on July 6th/7th, and this allowed a cold front to approach from the north. Clockwise flow around departing high pressure circulated tropical moisture into Arkansas from the southeast United States.

 

There was enough moisture to fuel hit and miss thunderstorms, mainly during the heat of the afternoon and evening. Some of the storms were severe. Moisture (dewpoints in the lower 70s) increased from the southeast on 07/06/2012.
In the picture: Moisture (dewpoints in the lower 70s) increased from the southeast on 07/06/2012. The added moisture kept temperatures in the 90s southeast of Little Rock (Pulaski County). Farther west, and on the leading edge of the moisture, scattered thunderstorms exploded where it was very hot (temperatures over 100 degrees F) and dry (dewpoints in the 50s in some areas). Temperatures and dewpoints are shown with dashed white lines. 

 

The satellite showed clusters of thunderstorms in the Plains at 1015 pm CDT on 05/30/2012.
In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) picked up microbursts northeast of Paron and near Avilla (both in Saline County) at 458 pm CDT on 07/06/2012. Winds from collapsing thunderstorms hit the ground and spread out (diverged). Inbound winds (toward the radar) are in green/blue, with outbound winds (away from the radar) in red/yellow.
While storms were expected to penetrate into Arkansas, they mostly stayed to the west and southwest as of 815 am CDT on 05/31/2012.
In the picture: Another downburst followed roughly 30 minutes later in west and southwest Little Rock (Pulaski County).
 

On the 6th, straight-line wind gusts exceeded 60 mph in west and southwest Little Rock (Pulaski County) and near Lake Norrell, Avilla and Benton (all in Saline County). Trees were downed (some on houses), and there was some minor structural damage.

 

Storm #1 near Booneville (Logan County) became severe and then collapsed shortly before 345 pm CDT on 07/07/2012. On the 7th, trees were toppled in the Mountain Pine (Garland County) community and at Hardin (Jefferson County).
In the picture: Storm #1 near Booneville (Logan County) became severe and then collapsed shortly before 345 pm CDT on 07/07/2012. Cool downdrafts (outflow) from the storm forced hot air to the east aloft (updrafts), and this helped initiate Storm #2.

 

Severe storms were more widespread in the northern and western counties on the 8th as the front slowly made its way into the area.
The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed precipitation in northern and western Arkansas surrounding an approaching front in Missouri during the afternoon of 07/08/2012.
In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed precipitation in northern and western Arkansas surrounding an approaching front in Missouri during the afternoon of 07/08/2012. Cooler temperatures followed the front.

 

Trees were on power lines and several roofs were damaged by winds at Wilburn (Cleburne County). A truck was blown off the road just north of Pleasant Plains (Independence County). There were numerous power outages following a storm at Hardy (Sharp County). Quarter size hail was reported near Steprock (White County) and Glenwood (Pike County).

 

Vertically Integrated liquid (VIL) values pulsed up quickly (to between 45 and 50 kg/m2) and came down just as fast as a storm developed and then collapsed near Y City (Scott County) during the evening of 07/12/2012. Severe weather took at break for a few days until the 12th. On that day, winds with a storm damaged chicken houses and barns near Y City (Scott County). Winds pushed over trees at Long Pool (Pope County) on the 13th, and at Woodlawn (Cleveland County) on the 14th.
In the picture: Vertically Integrated liquid (VIL) values pulsed up quickly (to between 45 and 50 kg/m2) and came down just as fast as a storm developed and then collapsed near Y City (Scott County) during the evening of 07/12/2012.

 

There was some beneficial (and much needed) rain with the passage of the front. Initially, downpours were concentrated in the northwest half of the state. On the 7th, Harrison (Boone County) picked up 1.76 inches between 100 pm and 700 pm CDT. Fayetteville (Washington County) had 1.67 inches in the same time frame. One hundred sixty eight hour (seven day) rainfall through 700 pm CDT on 07/14/2012.
In the picture: One hundred sixty eight hour (seven day) rainfall through 700 pm CDT on 07/14/2012.

 

Hardy (Sharp County) received 2.53 inches of rain in less than an hour during the afternoon of the 8th. At Quitman (Cleburne County), 1.61 inches was measured. Late on the 8th/early on the 9th, thunderstorms dumped 2.31 inches at Blytheville (Mississippi County).

Precipitation worked farther south with the front on the 9th before the front eventually stalled near the Louisiana border. This day featured the first significant rain (more than a tenth of an inch) in the Little Rock (Pulaski County) area since June 4th. North Little Rock (Pulaski County) got 1.70 inches from three separate downpours. Little Rock National Airport (Pulaski County) logged 0.02 inch, which broke a streak of twenty six straight days without measurable precipitation.

 

Notable Event Downpours
Location 24 Hour Amount Day (Ending 7 am CDT)
Fordyce (Dallas Co) 3.09 07/10
Magnolia (Columbia Co) 2.75 07/10
Hardy (Sharp Co) 2.53 07/09
Blytheville (Mississippi Co) 2.31 07/09
Portland (Ashley Co) 2.15 07/13
Ozark (Franklin Co) 2.08 07/10
Narrows Dam (Pike Co) 2.00 07/11
Stuttgart (Arkansas Co) 1.94 07/13
Helena-West Helena (Phillips Co) 1.88 07/12
Moro Bay State Park (Bradley Co) 1.77 07/12
Harrison (Boone Co) 1.76 07/08
Fayetteville (Washington Co) 1.70 07/08
Hampton (Calhoun Co) 1.70 07/14
North Little Rock (Pulaski Co) 1.70 07/10

 

Elsewhere on the 9th, there was a whopping 3.09 inches at Fordyce (Dallas County), 2.75 inches at Magnolia (Columbia County) and 2.08 inches at Ozark (Franklin County). The 10th brought 2.00 inches to Narrows Dam (Pike County) and 1.57 inches to Murfreesboro (Pike County). On the 11th, 1.88 inches was reported at Helena-West Helena (Phillips County), and Moro Bay State Park (Bradley County) had 1.77 inches. Deluges provided Portland (Ashley County) and Stuttgart (Arkansas County) with 2.15 inches and 1.94 inches respectively on the 12th, and 1.70 inches at Hampton (Calhoun County) on the 14th. Also on the 14th, radar estimated more than three inches of rain between Rison (Cleveland County) and Star City (Lincoln County). 

While some of these totals were impressive, it did not put much of a dent in the ongoing drought because precipitation was hit and miss. From central into northeast Arkansas, there were pockets with rainfall less than a quarter inch.

However, the heat took a break. The front was followed by cooler air and closer to normal temperatures. In the southeast, clouds kept readings below normal (in the 80s) for several days.

 

Storm Reports
Preliminary reports of severe weather in the Little Rock County Warning Area on July 6-14, 2012 (in red).
Submit a storm report.
There were reports of damaging winds and hail across mainly the northwest half of Arkansas on July 6th through the 14th, 2012. For a look at some reports, click here.
 
Link of Interest
Plot Reports
In the picture: Preliminary reports of severe weather in the Little Rock County Warning Area on July 6-14, 2012 (in red).
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