Flood, Sebastian
- When
- February 24, 4:00 PM CST to February 25, 10:00 PM CST
- Where
- Sebastian forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Flood in Arkansas, February 24 to 25, 2001
The Arkansas River near Van Buren rose above its flood stage of 22 feet during the afternoon hours on February 24. 6 feet during the morning hours on February 25 before falling below the flood stage during the evening hours on February 25.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
The Arkansas River near Van Buren rose above its flood stage of 22 feet during the afternoon hours on February 24. The river crested at 23.6 feet during the morning hours on February 25 before falling below the flood stage during the evening hours on February 25.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 4:00 PM CST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 24, 4:00 PM CST, 0 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 400 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001 ...LOOKS LIKE WIND ADVISORY WILL HANDLE WIND WITH GUSTS DECREASING A BIT DURING THE LAST HOUR...CHANGED HEADLINES FROM PREVIOUS AFD. LINE OF SVR STORMS IS MOVING E OUT OF THE AREA WITH SOME COLD CORE SHOWERS SCATTERED BEHIND IT IN E OK. MAY KEEP SOME 20% POPS IN NE ZONES BUT MOST OF SHOWERS SHOULD BE GONE BY 6PM. SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS VERY TIGHT THIS EVENING WITH W/SW WINDS LIKLEY REMAINING OR PICKING BACK UP INTO THE 20-30 MPH RANGE...SO WILL KEEP WIND ADVISORY GOING THIS EVE. WINDS CURRENTLY GUSTING TO 50 MPH AT SWO MESONET...SO WILL GO WITH A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR AT LEAST FAR NE OKLAHOMA THRU THIS EVE AND WIND ADVSY ELSEWHERE. WINDS SHOULD DECREASE SOME WITH LOSS OF HEATING BUT GUSTS OVER 40 MPH COULD CONTINUE WELL INTO THE EVE NORTH OF I-44. SYSTEM MOVES NE OF THE AREA WITH WINDSHIFT TO NW AFTER MIDNIGHT THEN GRADIENT QUICKLY FLATTENS WITH WEAK SFC HIGH OVER OK BY MIDDAY SUNDAY. WITH BUSY WEATHER DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO LOOK AT MODELS AND GENERALLY FOLLOWED AVN/MAV GUIDANCE THROUGH REST OF FORECAST ALONG WITH TRENDS OF PREVIOUS FORECAST. SFC HIGH FCST TO SHIFT EAST BY EARLY MONDAY WITH RETURN OF SOME CLOUDINESS DUE TO RETURN FLOW OF MOISTURE OUT OF GULF INTO E TX. BUT MAIN 850 MB RH FCST TO REMAIN S AND W OF THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY WITH CLOUDS CHC FOR RAIN INCREASING MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. AVN BRINGS CANADIAN AIR SOUTHWARD INTO SRN PLAINS ON TUE WITH FRONT LIKELY PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA EVEN WITH UPPER FLOW REMAINING PRETTY MUCH ZONAL. COULD SEE SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN/DRIZZLE BEHIND FRONT BUT FOR NOW WILL LEAVE MAIN CHC FOR RAIN MONDAY NIGHT WITH BULK OF PCP ENDING BY TUE. FCST AFTER TUE IS DIFFICULT WITH COLD SFC HIGH OVER THE SRN PLAINS BUT UPPER FLOW REMAINING W/SW WITH UPPER SYSTEM IN SW US SLOWLY COMING OUT BY FRIDAY. AVN DRYS STUFF OUT TUE NIGHT/WED WITH TEMPS MODERATING ON THURSDAY. CHC FOR FZ RAIN/SNOW LOOKS MINIMAL TUE/WED WITH THIS RUN WITH THREAT OF FZ RAIN POSSIBLY THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY. .TUL... OK...WIND ADVISORY THIS EVENING ZONES 48-53>76. AR...WIND -ADVISORY THIS EVENING ZONES 1-2-10-11-19-29.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Feb 24, 12:20 PM CST, 3 hours 40 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-251200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 1220 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001 ..TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND ALL OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 5 PM... A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WAS LOCATED OVER COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS WITH A DRYLINE EXTENDING SOUTH TROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND INTO EASTERN TEXAS. SEVERE STORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A FEW TORNADOES...ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON JUST AHEAD OF THE DRYLINE AS IT SWEEPS ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION... SPOTTERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED FOR THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MOST OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. .DISCUSSION...STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS HAVE BEEN ONGOING OVER PARTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. AS THE UPPER SYSTEM MOVES OUT INTO THE PLAINS THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS KANSAS...SWEEPING THE DRYLINE ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND ALL OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. THE THREAT FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES WILL CONTINUE EAST OF MIAMI TO HUGO LINE THIS AFTERNOON. I THREAT TABLE VALID THROUGH 1200 UTC SUNDAY THREAT AREA...FAR EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND ALL OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...100 SEVERE WEATHER PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...100 SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...60 THREAT AREAS DEFINE THE GREATEST RISK. PROBABILITIES ARE IN PERCENT. SIGNIFICANT SEVERE IS DEFINED AS F1 OR GREATER WIND/ TORNADO DAMAGE AND/OR GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. .OTHER HAZARDS... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH /OKCFFATUL/ REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR FOR EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AS HEAVY RAINS TODAY WILL COMBINE WITH RAINFALL OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS WIND GUSTS OF 25 TO 35 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. AS A RESULT...A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL SUBSIDE OVERNIGHT AS THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE CENTER LIFTS NORTHEAST FROM THE AREA. SEE /OKCNPWTUL/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT... WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
Special weather statement, Feb 24, 12:40 PM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-251200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 1240 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001 ..TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 30 AND 31 REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM FOR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND MOST OF FAR EASTERN OKLAHOMA... THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA... NOWATA...ROGERS...CRAIG...MAYES...WAGONER...OKMULGEE...MUSKOGEE MCINTOSH AND PITTSBURG. THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA... OTTAWA...DELAWARE...CHEROKEE...ADAIR...SEQUOYAH...HASKELL...LATIMER PUSHMATAHA...CHOCTAW AND LE FORE COUNTIES AND IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS... WASHINGTON... BENTON...CARROLL...MADISON...SEBASTIAN...CRAWFORD AND FRANKLIN. AT 1235 PM...RADAR INDICATED THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES HAD MOVED EAST OF A LINE FROM MIAMI TO HUGO. THE LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER. LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
Special weather statement, Feb 24, 1:19 PM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053-058-063-068-069-072- 074>076-241945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 119 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001 ...TORNADO WATCHES 30 AND 31 REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS... THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED IN THE FOLLOWING OKLAHOMA COUNTIES... OTTAWA...DELAWARE...CHEROKEE...HASKELL...LATIMER...PUSHMATAHA AND CHOCTAW COUNTIES. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... IN OKLAHOMA...LE FLORE...ADAIR AND SEQUOYAH... IN ARKANSAS...BENTON...CARROLL...MADISON...FRANKLIN...CRAWFORD AND SEBASTIAN. SEE SHORT TERM FORECASTS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Feb 24, 2:06 PM CST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ069-072-076-242100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 206 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001 ...TORNADO WATCHES 30 AND 31 REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF WESTERN ARKANSAS... THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED IN THE FOLLOWING OKLAHOMA COUNTIES... ADAIR...SEQUOYAH AND LE FLORE. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN ARKANSAS... BENTON...CA8RROLL...MADISON...FRANKLIN... CRAWFORD AND SEBASTIAN. SEE SHORT TERM FORECASTS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Feb 24, 2:58 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-242200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 258 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001 THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED IN THE FOLLOWING ARKANSAS COUNTI8ES... BENTON...CARROLL...MADISON...FRANKLIN... CRAWFORD AND SEBASTIAN. THE LINE OF SEVERE STORMS HAS MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES AND REDEVELOPMENT IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS IS NOT EXPECTED.
Local storm report, Feb 24, 3:32 PM CST, 28 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
332 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1232 PM 4 SE CLAYTON OK 1 INCH HAIL
02/24/01 PUSHMATAHA PUBLIC REPORTED QUARTER
HAIL.
0127 PM SLAYTONVILLE AR 60 MPH TSTM GUST
02/24/01 SEBASTIAN SPOTTERS REPORTED 60
MPH WIND GUSTS.
0130 PM FARMINGTON AR .88 INCH HAIL
02/24/01 WASHINGTON SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORT.
0130 PM WEST FORK AR .88 INCH HAIL
02/24/01 WASHINGTON REPORTED BY SHERIFFS
OFFICE.
0130 PM 2 E GENTRY AR WIND DAMAGE
02/24/01 BENTON PUBLIC REPORTED TREE
DAMAGE.
0145 PM 2 SE SULPHUR CITY AR WIND DAMAGE
02/24/01 WASHINGTON SHERIFFS OFFICE
REPORTED TREES DOWN.
0145 PM 2 E SPRING VLY AR WIND DAMAGE
02/24/01 WASHINGTON SHERIFFS OFFICE
REPORTED POWER LINES
DOWN.
0145 PM BENTONVILLE AR WIND DAMAGE
02/24/01 BENTON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REPORTED TREES DOWN.
0145 PM 5 E ROGERS AR WIND DAMAGE
02/24/01 BENTON LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED POWER OUTAGES
IN WAR EAGLE AND POWER
LINES AND TREES DOWN.
0155 PM EUREKA SPGS AR WIND DAMAGE
02/24/01 CARROLL LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED TREES DOWN.
0200 PM CLIFTY AR WIND DAMAGE
02/24/01 MADISON LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED TREES DOWN.
0203 PM 8 WNW OZARK AR .75 INCH HAIL
02/24/01 FRANKLIN HAM REPORT OF DIME HAIL.
0207 PM 8 WNW OZARK AR 1 INCH HAIL
02/24/01 FRANKLIN HAM REPORT OF QUARTER
HAIL.
0250 PM 5 N GENTRY AR FLOOD
02/24/01 BENTON SHERIFFS OFFICE
REPORTED ROAD CLOSED
NEAR HIGHWAY 43 AND 102
NORTH OF GENTRY DUE TO
FLOODING.
0250 PM HEALING SPGS AR FLOOD
02/24/01 BENTON SHERIFFS OFFICE
REPORTED ROAD CLOSED
NEAR HIGHWAY 264 AT
HEALING SPRINGS DUE TO
FLOOD. NUMEROUS OTHER
ROADS AND BRIDGES WERE
CLOSED WITHIN THE
COUNTY DUE TO FLOODING.Event by event
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, February 24, 2001
- Tornadoes in Mississippi, February 24, 2001
- Tornado in Arkansas, February 24, 2001
- Tornado in Arkansas, February 24, 2001
- Tornadoes in Mississippi, February 24, 2001
- Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, February 24, 2001
- Damaging Winds in Texas, February 24, 2001
- Tornado in Arkansas, February 24, 2001
- Flash Flood in Kansas, February 24, 2001
- Lightning Strike in Illinois, February 24, 2001
- Tornado in Arkansas, February 24, 2001
- Tornado in Arkansas, February 24, 2001
More
Every storm in Arkansas in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, February 2001
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5235069.