Arkansas, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, November 30, 1998

November 30, 1998 · NWS TSA · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Summary of events for November 30 1998:An approaching upper level disturbance/cold pool and a weak pacific front caused a solid line of thunderstorms to move across northwest Arkansas early on the morning of November 30. The storms were non-severe as they moved across the northwest corner of Arkansas, mainly producing winds gusts of 35 to 45 miles an hour.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$12,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 TSA wrote it up.

Summary of events for November 30 1998:An approaching upper level disturbance/cold pool and a weak pacific front caused a solid line of thunderstorms to move across northwest Arkansas early on the morning of November 30. The storms were non-severe as they moved across the northwest corner of Arkansas, mainly producing winds gusts of 35 to 45 miles an hour. However, the line of storms bowed out over Crawford and Sebastian Counties, causing marginally severe wind gusts and even dime-sized hail in Fort Smith.

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 33 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:14 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When
November 30, 12:15 AM CST
Where
Crawford County, Uniontown
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.580, -94.450

Barns were damaged by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sebastian

When
November 30, 12:18 AM CST
Where
Sebastian County, Ft Smith
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.380, -94.420

Hail, Sebastian

When
November 30, 12:18 AM CST
Where
Sebastian County, Ft Smith
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.380, -94.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When
November 30, 12:30 AM CST
Where
Crawford County, Van Buren
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.430, -94.350

Sheriffs office reported large tree limbs blown down countywide.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
November 30, 12:40 AM CST
Where
Washington County, 5 mi E of Springdale
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.180, -94.050

A large tree was blown onto the roof of a home on Rustic Drive near the small community of Little Flock.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, November 1998

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5671095, 5671097, 5671098, 5671096, 5671099.