Flash Flood and Hail in Arkansas, April 30, 2004

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Arkansas, April 30, 2004
Start: 2004-04-30T20:26
End: 2004-04-30T23:04
Location: Arkansas

April 30, 2004 · NWS TSA · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 Apr 30, 8:17 PM CST, 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 8:17 PM CST, 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...MESOSCALE UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
917 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

THUNDESTORM CLUSTER OVER FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA HAS SUDDENLY SURGED
TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 40 KNOTS...AS OPPOSED TO THE EAST MOVEMENT
AT 15 KNOTS IT HAD BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS.  WE HAVE
ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ON IT FOR WIND DAMAGE POTENTIAL.

FORECAST ID= 08

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING FOR ZONES
ARZ001>002...ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020...ARZ029.

OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING FOR ZONES
OKZ049...OKZ053...OKZ058...OKZ063...OKZ068>076.

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 6:05 PM CST, 2 hours 21 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
705 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-011000-
ADAIR OK-BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-CHEROKEE OK-CHOCTAW OK-CRAIG OK-
CRAWFORD AR-CREEK OK-DELAWARE OK-FRANKLIN AR-HASKELL OK-LATIMER OK-
LE FLORE OK-MADISON AR-MAYES OK-MCINTOSH OK-MUSKOGEE OK-NOWATA OK-
OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-OSAGE OK-OTTAWA OK-PAWNEE OK-PITTSBURG OK-
PUSHMATAHA OK-ROGERS OK-SEBASTIAN AR-SEQUOYAH OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-
WASHINGTON OK-WASHINGTON AR-
705 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS
MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TONIGHT...
...FLOODING POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TONIGHT...

A COMPLEX OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO MOVE ALONG THE RED
RIVER ACROSS SOUTHER CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS. THESE STORMS
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SLOWLY TO THE EAST AND AFFECT EXTREME
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA THIS EVENING. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE
THE MAIN THREAT.

AT 7 PM...A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM MIAMI TO OKEMAH TO ADA. A
SECONDARY BOUNDARY EXISTS NEAR INTERSTATE 40 IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS. THESE BOUNDARIES WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER FOCUS
FOR WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THE REMAINDER OF THIS
EVENING. SHEAR IS MAXIMIZED NEAR THE SECONDARY BOUNDARY...AND STORMS
IN THIS REGION MAY BRIEFLY TAKE ON SUPERCELL CHARACTERISTICS...
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. ELEVATED STORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE NORTH OF THE MAIN FRONTAL BOUNDARY...AND A FEW
OF THE STRONGER CELLS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL ACROSS NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA.

THE STORMS THAT DEVELOP IN NORTHWEST TEXAS AND FAR SOUTH CENTRAL
OKLAHOMA ARE EXPECTED TO ORGANIZE INTO A LARGE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX
THIS EVENING THAT WILL THEN MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS OVERNIGHT. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BE
SEVERE...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL UP TO QUARTER SIZE.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...FLOODING WILL AGAIN BE A
CONCERN ACROSS SOUTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS
WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS...ESPECIALLY WHERE
HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING OCCURRED LATE LAST WEEK.

WARNING PROBABILITIES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES CAN BE
FOUND IN THE CURRENT HAZARDS SECTION AT: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA.
GIVEN PROBABILITIES REPRESENT THE POTENTIAL FOR A WARNING TO BE
ISSUED AT YOUR LOCATION.

SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENDING SATURDAY AS THE COLD FRONT
MOVES AWAY FROM THE AREA. DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED MONDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE PREVAILS.

WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL TABULAR AND
GRAPHICAL INFORMATION

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 30, 7:55 PM CST, 31 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
855 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

OKZ056-010245-
NOWATA OK-
855 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 945 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY:

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     NOWATA

AT 855 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES
WEST OF DELAWARE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...DELAWARE AND LENAPAH.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
40 MPH.

Special weather statement, Apr 30, 7:57 PM CST, 29 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
857 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-010700-
ADAIR OK-BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-CHEROKEE OK-CHOCTAW OK-CRAIG OK-
CRAWFORD AR-CREEK OK-DELAWARE OK-FRANKLIN AR-HASKELL OK-LATIMER OK-
LE FLORE OK-MADISON AR-MAYES OK-MCINTOSH OK-MUSKOGEE OK-NOWATA OK-
OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-OSAGE OK-OTTAWA OK-PAWNEE OK-PITTSBURG OK-
PUSHMATAHA OK-ROGERS OK-SEBASTIAN AR-SEQUOYAH OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-
WASHINGTON OK-WASHINGTON AR-
857 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 137 IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM CDT.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS UNTIL 2 AM CDT SATURDAY MORNING.

THIS WATCH REPLACES SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 133 THAT WAS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM. THIS EFFECTIVELY EXTENDS THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH UNTIL 2 AM CDT

Local storm report, Apr 30, 8:01 PM CST, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
901 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0857 PM     HAIL             CHELSEA                 36.54N 95.43W
04/30/2004  0.88 INCH        ROGERS             OK   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SP

Special weather statement, Apr 30, 8:02 PM CST, 24 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
902 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

OKZ068-010300-
CHEROKEE OK-
902 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY:

IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
     CHEROKEE

AT 902 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF LOST CITY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS
THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...TAHLEQUAH...HULBERT...
LOST CITY AND PEGGS.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL.

Local storm report, Apr 30, 8:05 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
905 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0902 PM     HAIL             CHELSEA                 36.54N 95.43W
04/30/2004  1.25 INCH        ROGERS             OK   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SP

Local storm report, Apr 30, 8:10 PM CST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
910 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0902 PM     HAIL             CHELSEA                 36.54N 95.43W
04/30/2004  1.75 INCH        ROGERS             OK   PUBLIC

&&

SP

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:26 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Benton

When: April 30, 8:26 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 2 mi W of Gentry
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.267, -94.517

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: April 30, 8:45 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 3 mi E of Gentry
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.267, -94.433

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew a few trees down.

Hail, Benton

When: April 30, 9:24 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Cave Spgs
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.267, -94.233

Flash Flood, Benton

When: April 30, 9:25 PM CST to 10:25 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 2 mi S of Gentry
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.339, -94.256 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused a road to be closed due to high water.

Hail, Washington

When: April 30, 10:12 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Fayetteville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.067, -94.167

Hail, Washington

When: April 30, 10:30 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Goshen
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.100, -94.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When: April 30, 11:04 PM CST
Where: Carroll County, Berryville
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.367, -93.567

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down large trees.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
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.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Arkansas, April 2004

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: 5392530, 5392531, 5392532, 5392533, 5392534, 5392535, 5392536.