Arkansas, 2002Flash Flooding in Arkansas, March 19 to 20, 2002
March 19 to 20, 2002 · NWS TSA · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
2 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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 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 Mar 18, 9:04 PM CST, 6 hours 26 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 9:04 PM CST, 6 hours 26 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
904 PM CST MON MAR 18 2002
WILL BE UPDATING THE FORECAST THIS EVENING TO MAKE SOME MINOR
ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT CURRENT PRECIPITATION TRENDS. HAVE DECIDED
TO SCALE BACK WATCH A LITTLE AS NEW MESOETA HAS NARROWED
PRECIPITATION CORRIDOR AND COME IN LINE WITH CURRENT RADAR TRENDS.
ADDITIONAL CONVECTION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN NORTH TEXAS AND SHOULD
MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS WATCH AREA. NEW ZONES AND UPDATED WATCH
STATEMENT OKCFLSTUL WILL BE OUT SHORTLY.
HOWIESON
FCSTID = 44
.TSA...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND TUESDAY FOR ZONES
ARZ001>002...ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020...ARZ029.
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND TUESDAY FOR ZONES
OKZ049...OKZ053...OKZ068>076.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 18, 9:55 PM CST, 5 hours 35 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-191200-
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
955 PM CST MON MAR 18 2002
...WIDESPREAD RAIN AND AND A THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
TUESDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING...
HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUES THIS EVENING OVER MUCH OF SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS WHERE UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
FALLEN. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN
THE WARNED AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENT /OKCFLSTUL/ FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS.
.SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS ON THIS HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT.
.DISCUSSION...
A STRONG LOW-LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN HAS DEVELOPED NORTH OF
A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT WAS STALLED ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS INTO
NORTHERN LOUISIANA. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE FORECAST TO
REMAIN NEAR 1.75 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA INTO WEST CENTRAL
ARKANSAS. THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE IN THESE AREAS
AS PERSISTENT SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESULTS IN CELL TRAINING. AN
ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS...WILL BE POSSIBLE.
RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
ARKANSAS BASIN RIVER FORECAST CENTER - SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOOD
OUTLOOK CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/ABRFC/FOP/ABRFCFOP.HTML
Special weather statement, Mar 18, 9:55 PM CST, 5 hours 35 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-191200-
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
955 PM CST MON MAR 18 2002
...WIDESPREAD RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
TUESDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING...
HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUES THIS EVENING OVER MUCH OF SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS WHERE UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
FALLEN. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN
THE WARNED AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENT /OKCFLSTUL/ FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS.
.SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS ON THIS HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT.
.DISCUSSION...
A STRONG LOW-LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN HAS DEVELOPED NORTH OF
A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT WAS STALLED ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS INTO
NORTHERN LOUISIANA. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE FORECAST TO
REMAIN NEAR 1.75 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA INTO WEST CENTRAL
ARKANSAS. THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE IN THESE AREAS
AS PERSISTENT SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESULTS IN CELL TRAINING. AN
ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS...WILL BE POSSIBLE.
RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
ARKANSAS BASIN RIVER FORECAST CENTER - SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOOD
OUTLOOK CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/ABRFC/FOP/ABRFCFOP.HTML
Special weather statement, Mar 18, 10:54 PM CST, 4 hours 36 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-191200-
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
955 PM CST MON MAR 18 2002
...WIDESPREAD RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
TUESDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING...
HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUES THIS EVENING OVER MUCH OF SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS WHERE UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
FALLEN. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN
THE WARNED AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENT /OKCFLSTUL/ FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS.
.SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS ON THIS HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT.
.DISCUSSION...
A STRONG LOW-LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN HAS DEVELOPED NORTH OF
A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT WAS STALLED ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS INTO
NORTHERN LOUISIANA. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE FORECAST TO
REMAIN NEAR 1.75 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA INTO WEST CENTRAL
ARKANSAS. THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE IN THESE AREAS
AS PERSISTENT SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESULTS IN CELL TRAINING. AN
ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS...WILL BE POSSIBLE.
RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
ARKANSAS BASIN RIVER FORECAST CENTER - SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOOD
OUTLOOK CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/ABRFC/FOP/ABRFCFOP.HTML
Flash Flood, Sebastian
- When
- March 19, 3:30 AM CST to March 20, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Sebastian County, Countywide
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 35.199, -94.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy rain fell on and off from the evening hours of the 18th until the early morning hours of the 20th. During this time Fort Smith received 5.32 inches of rain and Midland received 6.23 inches of rain. The result of this heavy rain was widespread flash flooding and flooding. The first report of flooding was at 330 am on the 19th with Highway 252 being under water near Lavaca. Shortly thereafter several county roads were reported to be flooded. Several of these county roads were barricaded and closed during the afternoon and evening hours. By late evening on the 19th Highway 71 was flooded near Mansfield and Highway 255 was flooded at Vache Grass Bridge and at Hickman Bluff.
Flash Flood, Crawford
- When
- March 19, 3:50 AM CST to March 20, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Crawford County, Countywide
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 35.589, -94.243 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy rain fell on and off from the evening of the 18th to the early morning hours of the 20th. During this time frame Mountainburg received 6.41 inches of rain and Van Buren received 4.76 inches of rain. This excessive rainfall resulted in flash flooding and flooding. The first report of flooding came at 350 am with several low lying roads in the southern part of the county being flooded. This flooding of county roads became more widespread across the whole county as the day progressed. By 1115 pm even State Highway 282 outside of Mountainburg was flooded.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, March 19, 200240 injured · $7.1 million · F2 · 10 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, March 19 to 20, 20021 death · $269,000 · 1 in hail · 34 events
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, March 19, 200215 injured · $650,000 · F1 · 5 events
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, March 19, 2002$16 million · F1 · 17 events
- Damaging Winds in Texas, March 19, 20022 injured · $600,000 · 59 kt wind · 2 events
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, March 19, 20021 injured · $650,000 · F0 · 5 events
- Damaging Wind in Texas, March 19, 2002$600,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Texas, March 19, 2002$300,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Winds in Texas, March 19, 2002$250,000 · 57 kt wind · 2 events
- Damaging Winds in Texas, March 19, 2002$200,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 events
- Damaging Wind in Texas, March 19, 2002$200,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Texas, March 19, 2002$150,000 · 1 event
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: 5286776, 5286777.