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Are you interested in what happened during a recent event? Check out the report below.
Severe Weather on March 13-15, 2008 (Pg1)
 
Round One (13th/Early 14th)
The satellite showed a storm system and colder air aloft ("X") approaching from central Oklahoma at 6 pm CDT on 03/13/2008. A strong storm system aloft approached from the southern Plains during the evening of March 13th. Cold air surrounded the system, with much warmer conditions near the ground. This created very unstable conditions, with thunderstorms developing.
In the picture: The satellite showed a storm system ("X") and colder air aloft (at 18000 ft) approaching from central Oklahoma at 6 pm CDT on 03/13/2008. Temperatures at this level were between -18C to -20C or 0F to -4F.

 

Moisture near the ground was driven into dry air aloft, with rapid cooling (due to evaporation) overhead. This made it easy for hail to form. The sounding (temperature and dewpoint profile with height) at North Little Rock (Pulaski County) at 6 pm CDT on 03/13/2008.
In the picture: The sounding (temperature and dewpoint profile with height) at North Little Rock (Pulaski County) showed dry air aloft (a wide temperature and dewpoint spread at most levels) at 6 pm CDT on 03/13/2008. 

 

The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed a lot of reflectivity (white and pink colors) near Mena (Polk County) at 1125 pm CDT on 03/13/2008. Penny to quarter size hail was common from west central into central Arkansas. At Mena (Polk County), golfball size hail was reported.
In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed a lot of reflectivity (white and pink colors) near Mena (Polk County) at 1125 pm CDT on 03/13/2008. When the radar samples a storm, if much of the energy used in the sampling returns...the storm is highly reflective or contains very heavy precipitation and/or hail.

 

In some cases, there was so much hail that it covered the ground and looked like snow. Hail covered the ground near Otter Creek (Pulaski County) during the evening of 03/13/2008.
In the picture: Hail covered the ground near Otter Creek (Pulaski County) during the evening of 03/13/2008. The picture is courtesy of Danielle Davis. Click to enlarge.

 

In addition to hail, there was a lot of lightning. Several grass fires were triggered by lightning between Hot Springs and Royal (both in Garland County), with a tree catching on fire near Amity (Clark County). 

The amount of lightning was likely the result of above normal amounts of ice in thunderstorm (cumulonimbus) clouds. Research has shown that ice is a key component in lightning production, with more ice often leading to more lightning.     

 

Link of Interest
How Lightning is Created

 

Tornado in Cleveland County
A tornado (rated EF2) tracked through Cleveland County early on 03/14/2008. Storms were ongoing during the early morning hours of the 14th. Just before 3 am CDT, a tornado was spawned between New Edinburg and Rye (both in Cleveland County).
In the picture: A tornado (rated EF2) tracked through Cleveland County early on 03/14/2008.

 

 

More Information
There is more concerning severe weather on March 13th through the 15th. To check out the rest of the story, click here.