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Are you interested in what happened during a recent event? Check out the report below.
Severe Weather on May 7, 2008
 
The pattern featured a storm system ("L") approaching from the southern Plains on 05/07/2008, and severe storms ahead of the system. May began with a tornado outbreak on the 2nd. Another storm was on the horizon a few days later, with severe weather expected on the 7th.
In the picture: The pattern featured a storm system ("L") approaching from the southern Plains on 05/07/2008, and severe storms ahead of the system.

 

The system triggered severe thunderstorms during the afternoon from Oklahoma into Texas. Toward evening, the storms were set to move into Arkansas. Maximum instability (heat/humidity to make the atmosphere more buoyant), helicity (potential for rotating winds) and lift (upward motion to build storms) will overlap in portions of Texas and Oklahoma at 4 pm CDT on 05/07/2008.
In the picture: Maximum instability (heat/humidity to make the atmosphere more buoyant), helicity (potential for rotating winds) and lift (upward motion to build storms) overlapped in portions of Texas and Oklahoma at 4 pm CDT on 05/07/2008. This is where the greatest potential for severe weather was during this time.

 

Drier air (dewpoints in the 50s) was building into eastern Arkansas from the southeast United States as of 2 pm CDT on 05/07/2008, with cool air (temperatures in the 60s) arriving from the north (due to clouds and some precipitation). However, the storms ran into a stabilizing atmosphere. Dry air (dewpoints in the 50s) built into eastern Arkansas from the southeast United States (surrounding high pressure), and cool air (temperatures in the 60s) was in northern sections of the state (with clouds and precipitation in the area.
In the picture: Drier air (dewpoints in the 50s) was building into eastern Arkansas from the southeast United States as of 2 pm CDT on 05/07/2008, with cool air (temperatures in the 60s) arriving from the north (due to clouds and some precipitation). The most unstable (warm/moist) air was shunted to the southwest of the state.

 

In areas where it was unstable (the south and west), a round of showers and a few thunderstorms arrived ahead of the severe storms...and used up available energy. In the end, the severe storms weakened as they headed into the state.

 

Even so, there was a tremendous amount of wind aloft...and a few storms were able to bring some of this wind to the ground. At Fort Smith (Sebastian County), there was a 47 mph wind gust...with 44 mph at Little Rock (Pulaski County). The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed a couple of lines of storms producing 40 to 50 mph wind gusts from western into central Arkansas at 910 pm CDT on 05/07/2008.
In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed a couple of lines of storms producing 40 to 50 mph wind gusts from western into central Arkansas at 910 pm CDT on 05/07/2008.

 

An outbuilding was destroyed 5 miles east of Hickory Plains (Prairie County) on 05/07/2008. Similar gusts were reported around Malvern (Hot Spring County). A few miles east of Hickory Plains (Prairie County), an estimated 50 mph wind gust overturned trailers and heavily damaged an outbuilding.
In the picture: An outbuilding was destroyed 5 miles east of Hickory Plains (Prairie County) on 05/07/2008. Click to enlarge.

 

Storm Reports
Isolated storms produced 40 to 50 mph wind gusts on May 7th, with damage reported. For a look at some reports, click here.
Preliminary reports of wind damage in the Little Rock County Warning Area on May 7, 2008 (in red).
Submit a storm report.
In the picture: Preliminary reports of wind damage in the Little Rock County Warning Area on May 7, 2008 (in red).
 

 

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