1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
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 Little Rock, AR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 16, 1:57 PM CST, 4 hours 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 257 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. MOST ACTIVITY IS LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE CWFA. WITH 3 TO 4 INCH RAIN AMOUNTS IN SOME AREAS...SATURATED GROUND...AND MORE RAIN TO COME TONIGHT...THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. A WARM FRONT WAS ACROSS NORTH ARKANSAS AND NOT MOVING MUCH. THE FRONT SHOULD SLOWLY MOVE NORTH TONIGHT HOWEVER AS THE SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL LOWS APPROACH FROM THE WEST. AFTERNOON LIFTED INDICES RANGED FROM -1 TO -8 WITH DEW POINTS MAINLY IN THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA UNTIL THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT IN OKLAHOMA PASSES BY. THE COLD FRONT SHOULD EXIT EAST ARKANSAS BY SUNDAY MORNING. SUNDAY AND MONDAY SHOULD BE QUIETER DAYS WITH THE LOW MOVING OFF TO THE GULF OF MEXICO. ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE STATE TUESDAY AND MOVES THROUGH QUICKLY. HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. .LZK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TONIGHT FOR ZONES ARZ003>007...ARZ012>016...ARZ021>025...ARZ030>034...ARZ037>047... ARZ052>057...ARZ062>069. 51
ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-171000- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 635 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM TO THE WEST OF ARKANSAS WILL RESULT IN CONTINUED WET WEATHER ACROSS THE NATURAL STATE. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT MUCH OF ARKANSAS TONIGHT...WITH SEVERE WEATHER STILL A POSSIBILITY. IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. ALONG WITH SEVERE WEATHER...HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN MANY AREAS...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. WITH THE GROUND ALREADY SATURATED...FLASH FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE STATE SATURDAY... BECOMING WEAKER AS IT DOES. RAIN IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE MOST OF THE MORNING BUT IT SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER OFF LATE IN THE DAY WITH JUST SCATTERED SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE LOW BUT THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OVER THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE STATE EARLY IN THE DAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL DROP DOWN FROM THE NORTHWEST LATE MONDAY AND SHOULD PASS THROUGH THE STATE MONDAY NIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY FOR ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE REQUIRED TONIGHT. 44
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
226 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0216 PM SEARCY AR 75 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/16/03 WHITE REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER
28PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
300 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0254 PM BRADFORD AR .75 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 WHITE REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
28PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
347 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0245 PM BRADFORD AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 WHITE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
0245 PM BRADFORD AR 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 WHITE REPORTED BY PUBLIC
0305 PM 4 SW INGLESIDE AR TORNADO
05/16/03 JACKSON PUBLIC REPORTED TORNADO
SOUTH OF THE WHITE RIVER
BRIDGE OFF U.S. 67. THIS IS
UNCONFIRMED
0305 PM SIMS AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 MONTGOMERY TWO CREEKS FLOODING A
ROAD. 4 INCHES OF RAIN IN
LAST 1 TO 2 HOURS. ALSO
4.29 INCHES OF RAIN IN LAST
1 TO 2 HOURS AT HOG JAW.
REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
OPERATOR AND SPOTTER
0310 PM CASA AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 PERRY TREES DOWN AND BUTANE TANK
OVERTURNED. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0312 PM ODEN AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 MONTGOMERY 4.29 INCHES OF RAIN IN
LAST 1 TO 2 HOURS. REPORTED
BY STORM SPOTTER
0318 PM SIMS AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 MONTGOMERY HIGHWAY 88 FLOODED JUST
EAST OF SIMS. REPORTED BY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
0337 PM MORRILTON AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 CONWAY SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER
OVER HIGHWAY 95 A COUPLE OF
PLACES NEAR MORRILTON.
REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER
28PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
715 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0215 PM JUDSONIA AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 WHITE LARGE LIMBS DOWN. REPORTED
BY STORM SPOTTER.
0330 PM OLA AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 YELL FLOODING REPORTED IN OLA.
REPORTED BY PUBLIC.
0330 PM RUSSELLVILLE AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 POPE FLOODING REPORTED IN
RUSSELLVILLE. REPORTED BY
MEDIA.
0340 PM DARDANELLE AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 YELL FLOODING REPORTED IN
DARDANELLE. REPORTED BY
MEDIA.
0350 PM BUFORD AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 BAXTER TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
0350 PM GASSVILLE AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 BAXTER TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
0350 PM MIDWAY AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 BAXTER TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
0355 PM 3 W GREENBRIER AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 FAULKNER TREES DOWN. REPORTED BY
PUBLIC.
0425 PM GREENBRIER AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 FAULKNER LARGE LIMBS DOWN ON
HIGHWAY 65 WITH POWER
OUTAGES. WIND GUSTS
ESTIMATED 60 TO 70 MPH.
REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER.
0435 PM 1 S BATES AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 SCOTT TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
0440 PM ROSE BUD AR TORNADO
05/16/03 WHITE SEVERAL SIGHTINGS IN THE
ROSE BUD AREA...NO DAMAGE
CONFIRMED. REPORTED BY
STORM SPOTTER.
0450 PM CABOT AR 50 MPH NON TSTM WIND GUST
05/16/03 LONOKE SEVERAL TREES DOWNED.
REPORTED BY PUBLIC.
0510 PM 1 E ANTIOCH AR 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 WHITE REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER.
0510 PM 2 N DAMASCUS AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 VAN BUREN FLOODING REPORTED ON
HIGHWAY 65. REPORTED BY
COOP OBSERVER.
0519 PM BEEBE AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 WHITE FLOODING ALONG HIGHWAY 31.
REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
OPERATOR.
0525 PM SEARCY AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 WHITE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
0525 PM SEARCY AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 WHITE FLOODING OF MANY STREETS
FLOODED IN SEARCY...CARS
STRANDED AND BRIDGES WASHED
OUT. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
0529 PM SEARCY AR .75 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 WHITE REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER.
0535 PM 3 SW BRADFORD AR 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 WHITE REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
0535 PM OIL TROUGH AR 69 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/16/03 INDEPENDENCE REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER.
0540 PM 1 SE BRADFORD AR .88 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 WHITE REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
OPERATOR.
0551 PM 12 SW NEWPORT AR .75 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 JACKSON REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
0551 PM NEWPORT AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 JACKSON SEVERAL BUILDINGS DAMAGED.
REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
0556 PM BRADFORD AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 WHITE FLOODING REPORTED.
REPORTED BY FIRE AND
RESCUE.
0603 PM NEWPORT AR .88 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 JACKSON REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
0607 PM 12 SW NEWPORT AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 JACKSON FLOODING ALONG HIGHWAY 367
IN THE POSSUM GRAPE AREA.
REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
OPERATOR.
0634 PM AUGUSTA AR FLASH FLOODS
05/16/03 WOODRUFF FLOODING REPORTED AT THE
COUNTY JAIL IN AUGUSTA.
REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
0634 PM AUGUSTA AR .75 INCH HAIL
05/16/03 WOODRUFF REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
44The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The weak tornado moved from Hot Spring County into the southwest corner of Grant County about 5.3 miles southwest of Leola. Virtually all the damage was to trees that were either downed or twisted off. The tornado dissipated about 3 miles northwest of Leola.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2003Warnings in Arkansas, May 2003
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: 5361550.