National Weather Service - Little Rock, Arkansas...Severe Weather (February 24, 2007)

	Heading into late February, the Subtropical Jet (southwest wind flow aloft) became dominant...with systems driven toward Arkansas from the southwest United States. One such system on the 24th brought the first severe weather of the new year.
In the picture: The Subtropical Jet became more dominant in late February, with warmer temperatures and chances for thunderstorms. The Polar Jet took a break, with Arctic air staying to the north.

The system was rather intense, and tracked through the central Plains during the afternoon of the 24th. The system dragged a cold front into Arkansas, with storms popping up ahead of the front.
In the picture: The pattern at 3 pm CST on 02/24/2007...with a storm system ("L") in eastern Kansas and severe weather in Arkansas ahead of a cold front.

Wind energy surrounding the system was impressive...with strong shear (i.e. south wind at ground level and a west to southwest wind aloft) noted. This tended to make developing storms rotate, with the potential for tornadoes. Powerful winds aloft also gave storms a fast forward movement...which increased the potential for wind damage.

	The storms tended to grow from central into southern Arkansas and areas along the Gulf Coast. This is where temperatures were warmest and moisture levels were highest (i.e. an unstable atmosphere).
In the picture: Helicity (representing the potential for rotating winds) was high (over 400 m2/s2) and CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy...or a measure of instability) was increasing (to over 1000 J/kg) across much of central and southern Arkansas at 12 pm CST on 02/24/2007. The graphic was constructed using data from the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK.

Given the scenario, a Tornado Watch was posted for central and southern sections of the state through 4 pm on the 24th.
In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed lines of fast moving storms mainly across central and southern Arkansas at 1158 am CST on 02/24/2007.

In the picture: Severe weather reports on 02/24/2007. The graphic is courtesy of the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK.

Between 2 and 3 pm CST, scattered tornadic storms began forming in southeast Arkansas. Several Tornado Warnings were issued, with reports of damage in some areas.

Damage Surveys/Pictures

The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed a tornadic storm tracking through southeast Arkansas toward Dumas (Desha County) between 203 pm and 255 pm CST on 02/24/2007.

At Dumas (Desha County), there was extensive damage to buildings...and cars were thrown. Twenty seven injuries were reported in the Dumas area.

n the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed a tornadic storm tracking through southeast Arkansas toward Dumas (Desha County) between 203 pm and 255 pm CST on 02/24/2007.

The National Weather Service in Little Rock conducted damage surveys across southeast Arkansas to find out how many tornadoes were spawned. In the end, five tornadoes were counted.

Survey Information
Pictures of Damage at Dumas
Pictures Outside of Dumas

In the survey process, the new Enhanced Fujita Scale was used...with "EF" ratings for tornadoes instead of "F" ratings.

What is the Enhanced Fujita Scale? (Two Page Report)

Wind Gusts

Wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph occurred surrounding the storm system on February 24th.

Reported Peak Wind Gusts

Storm Reports

Several tornadic storms tracked across southeast Arkansas during the afternoon of February 24, 2007...with damage reported. For a look at some severe weather reports, click here.

In the picture: Preliminary reports of severe weather in the Little Rock County Warning Area on February 24, 2007 (in red).

Back to February, 2007 Storm Report

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/svr0207.htm

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