Arkansas, 1997

Ice Storm in Arkansas, January 14 to 15, 1997

January 14 to 15, 1997 · NWS SHV · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

For the second time in this month another surge of Artic air plunged southward. The cold front responsible for the Artic air stalled along the Gulf Coast states and a low pressure system formed along the front in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS SHV wrote it up.

For the second time in this month another surge of Artic air plunged southward. The cold front responsible for the Artic air stalled along the Gulf Coast states and a low pressure system formed along the front in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The storm pushed warm moist air northward up and over the freezing ground temperatures resulting in an overrunning condition with widespread precipitation in the form of freezing rain mixed with sleet and snow. Significant ice accumulations led to highway closings in some areas. Interstate I-49 was completely iced over and closed from Shreveport to Lafayette, Louisiana.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Sevier

When
January 14, 6:00 AM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Sevier forecast zone
Coordinates
33.997, -94.241 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Howard

When
January 14, 6:00 AM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Howard forecast zone
Coordinates
34.089, -93.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Little River

When
January 14, 6:00 AM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Little River forecast zone
Coordinates
33.701, -94.234 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hempstead

When
January 14, 6:00 AM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Hempstead forecast zone
Coordinates
33.735, -93.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Nevada

When
January 14, 6:00 AM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Nevada forecast zone
Coordinates
33.664, -93.307 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Miller

When
January 14, 6:00 AM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Miller forecast zone
Coordinates
33.312, -93.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, January 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5587437, 5587438, 5587439, 5587440, 5587441, 5587442.